U.S. patent number 6,133,912 [Application Number 09/071,874] was granted by the patent office on 2000-10-17 for method of delivering information over a communication network.
Invention is credited to Frank J. Montero.
United States Patent |
6,133,912 |
Montero |
October 17, 2000 |
Method of delivering information over a communication network
Abstract
A technique and apparatus for delivering information to the
subscribers (terminals) on a communication network. The information
is simultaneously displayed without interfering with the reception
and/or display of subscriber's selected data or program.
Inventors: |
Montero; Frank J. (Orlando,
FL) |
Family
ID: |
22104153 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/071,874 |
Filed: |
May 4, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
715/716; 348/558;
348/559; 725/131; 725/37; 348/E7.075; 348/E5.105 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N
21/25891 (20130101); H04N 21/4263 (20130101); H04N
21/47 (20130101); H04N 21/812 (20130101); H04N
21/44222 (20130101); H04N 21/44224 (20200801); H04N
21/25883 (20130101); H04N 21/4622 (20130101); H04N
21/2668 (20130101); G06Q 30/02 (20130101); H04N
21/4722 (20130101); H04N 21/4782 (20130101); H04N
7/17354 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06Q
30/00 (20060101); H04N 7/173 (20060101); H04N
5/445 (20060101); H04N 7/16 (20060101); G09G
005/00 (); G09G 005/40 (); G09G 005/14 (); H04N
009/74 (); H04N 005/445 () |
Field of
Search: |
;345/327,113,114,115,116,118,119,120
;348/588,589,584,564,565,566,567,568,461,465,468,12,13,10,6 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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598969 |
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Jun 1994 |
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EP |
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662760 |
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Jul 1995 |
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EP |
|
713310 |
|
May 1996 |
|
EP |
|
713311 |
|
May 1996 |
|
EP |
|
732660 |
|
Sep 1996 |
|
EP |
|
745948 |
|
Dec 1996 |
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EP |
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749081 |
|
Dec 1996 |
|
EP |
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Other References
Whit Andrew, "Planning for PUSH: How to seize control of technology
that's sweeping the web", Internet World, May 1997, pp. 45-52.
.
Bill Bercik, "Marimba's Castanet Orchestrating the Software Tango",
Internet World, May 1997, pp. 46-52..
|
Primary Examiner: Flynn; Nathan
Assistant Examiner: Srivastava; Vivek
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP
Claims
What is claimed:
1. A method of delivering information to subscribers on a
communication network, wherein a plurality of data providers and a
plurality of processing devices, each processing device uniquely
associated with a subscriber, are connected to said network,
comprising the steps of:
receiving a sequence of INFO IDs by said plurality of processing
devices, each INFO ID uniquely identifying information in a
plurality of INFO sources connected to said network;
reading a sequence of information from said plurality of INFO
sources in accordance with said sequence of INFO IDs;
selecting at least one data provider by each subscriber to display
data that is received from said at least one data provider via said
network; and
continuously displaying said sequence of information simultaneously
with said data received from said at least one data provider
selected by said each subscriber on an associated processing device
such that said sequence of information and said data requested by
said each subscriber are
simultaneously viewable, and wherein said data to be displayed on
said associated processing device is selectable by said each
subscriber, the display of said sequence of information is not
controllable by said each subscriber and does not change in
response to the selection of said data by said each subscriber.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting
another data provider in response to an input from said each
subscriber and wherein the step of continuously displaying displays
said sequence of information simultaneously with data received from
said other data provider.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of continuously
displaying displays said sequence of information without
interfering with the display of said data received from said at
least one data provider selected by said each subscriber.
4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
verifying the authorization of said each subscriber to determine if
said each subscriber is authorized to connect to said network;
and
inhibiting said associated processing device from displaying said
sequence of information if it is determined that said each
subscriber is not authorized to connect to said network.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of inhibiting
said associated processing device from displaying said data
received from said at least one data provider selected by said each
subscriber if it is determined that said each subscriber is not
authorized to connect to said network.
6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
verifying the authorization of said each subscriber to determine if
said each subscriber is authorized to connect to said network;
and
inhibiting said associated processing device from displaying said
data received from said at least one data provider selected by said
each subscriber if it is determined that said each subscriber is
not authorized to connect to said network.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of advertisements.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of messages or announcements.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of news.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of updates.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of advertisements, messages or announcements,
news and updates.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises
texts.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises still
pictures.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises moving
pictures.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the information comprises a
video component and an audio component.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein the information is a combination
of text, still pictures, moving pictures having video and audio
components.
17. The method of claim 5, wherein said network is a computer
network and said plurality of processing devices are terminals.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a unique subscriber ID and a password to said each
subscriber on said communication network; and
storing said subscriber ID and said password for said each
subscriber in a database.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of
establishing a connection between each of said terminals and said
computer network.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein each terminal includes an input
device and wherein the step of establishing the connection includes
the steps of:
entering a subscriber ID and a password on said input device by
said each subscriber to initiate connection between a terminal
associated with said each subscriber and said communication
network;
transmitting said subscriber ID and said password entered on said
input device to said database for verification;
determining whether said subscriber ID entered on said input device
matches one of said subscriber IDs stored in said database to
provide a verified subscriber ID;
verifying said password entered on said input device matches said
password associated with said verified subscriber ID if said
verified subscriber ID is found; and
connecting said terminal associated with said each subscriber to
said computer network if it is determined that said password
entered on said input device matches a password stored in said
database which is associated with said verified subscriber ID.
21. The method of claim 3, wherein said network is a computer
network and said plurality of processing devices are terminals.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein each of said plurality of data
providers is a server on said computer network and further
comprising the step of selecting data to be displayed from said at
least one data provider by said each subscriber.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein each of said terminals includes
an input device and wherein the step of selecting data includes the
step of:
entering a request for said data from said at least one server
connected to said computer network on said input device of a
terminal associated with said each subscriber; and
transmitting said request for said data to said at least one server
from said terminal associated with said each subscriber.
24. The method of claim 1, wherein said network is a computer
network and wherein the step of receiving a sequence of information
includes the steps of:
receiving a sequence of addresses from a database connected to a
network, each address indicating the location of the information in
said plurality of INFO sources; and
reading said sequence of information from said plurality of INFO
sources in accordance with said sequence of addresses.
25. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:
assigning an unique subscriber ID to each of said plurality of
processing devices;
generating a login time and a login date for said each subscriber
if it is determined that said each subscriber is authorized to
connect to said network; and
storing said subscriber ID, said login time and said login date for
said each subscriber in a database connected to said network if it
is determined that said each subscriber is authorized to connect
said network.
26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of generating login
time and login date includes the steps of:
receiving from a source connected to said network a virtual date
and a virtual time; and
generating said login time and said login date for said each
subscriber as a function of said virtual time and said virtual
date, respectively.
27. The method of claim 25, further comprising the steps of:
determining whether a processing device is no longer connected to
said network;
generating a logout time and a logout date for said each subscriber
if it is determined that said processing device associated with
said each subscriber is no longer connected to said network;
and
storing said logout time and said logout date for said each
subscriber in said database if it is determined that said
processing device associated with said each subscriber is no longer
connected to said network.
28. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:
generating a session duration for said each subscriber as a
function of said login time, said login date, said logout date and
said logout time; and
storing said session duration for said each subscriber in said
database.
29. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:
generating a session usage record for said each subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time and said session duration;
and
storing said session usage record for said each subscriber in said
database.
30. A method of delivering information to subscribers on a
communication network, wherein a plurality of data providers and a
plurality of processing devices, each processing device uniquely
associated with a subscriber, are connected to said network,
comprising the steps of:
assigning an unique INFO ID and an INFO duration to each
information from a plurality of INFO sources connected to said
network to provide a plurality of INFO IDs and a plurality of INFO
durations;
storing said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO
durations in a database connected to said network;
receiving a sequence of information by said plurality of processing
devices;
selecting at least one data provider by each subscriber to display
data that is received from said at least one data provider via said
network; and
continuously displaying said sequence of information simultaneously
with said data received from said at least one data provider
selected by said each subscriber on an associated processing device
such that said sequence of information and said data requested by
said each subscriber are simultaneously viewable, and wherein said
data to be displayed on said associated processing device is
selectable by said each subscriber, the display of said sequence of
information is not controllable by said each subscriber and said
each information in said sequence of information is displayed for
said INFO duration assigned to said each information before
displaying next information in said sequence of information.
31. The method of claim 26, further comprising the steps of:
determining whether a processing device is no longer connected to
said network;
generating a logout time and a logout date for said each subscriber
as a function of said virtual date and said virtual time if it is
determined that said processing device associated with said each
subscriber is no longer connected to said network; and
storing said logout date and said logout time for said each
subscriber to said database if it is determined that said
processing device associated with said each subscriber is no longer
connected to said network.
32. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:
generating a session duration for said each subscriber as a
function of said login time, said login date, said logout date and
said logout time; and
storing said session duration for said each subscriber to said
database.
33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:
generating a session usage record for said each subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time and said session duration;
and
storing said session usage record for said each subscriber in said
database.
34. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:
assigning an INFO duration to each information in said sequence of
information to provide a plurality of INFO durations
storing said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO
durations in said database; and
wherein the step of continuously displaying displays said each
information in said sequence of information for said INFO duration
assigned to said each information before displaying next
information in said sequence of information.
35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the steps of:
determining which information in said sequence of information was
displayed on said associated processing device as a function of
said login time, said login date, said logout date, said logout
time and said plurality of INFO durations to provide a list of
displayed information for said each subscriber; and
storing said list of displayed information for said each subscriber
in said database.
36. The method of claim 35, wherein said list of displayed
information for said each subscriber contains a list of INFO IDs
corresponding to the displayed information.
37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the steps of:
determining date and time that each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information was displayed on said associated processing
device as a function of said login time, said login date, said
logout time, said logout date and said plurality of INFO durations
to provide a display date and a display time for said each INFO ID
in said list of displayed information for said each subscriber;
and
storing said display date and said display time for said each INFO
ID in said list of displayed information for said each subscriber
in said database.
38. The method of claim 37, further comprising the steps of:
generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information for said each subscriber, said INFO display
record containing an INFO ID and said subscriber ID of said each
subscriber, and said display date, said display time and said INFO
duration associated
with said INFO ID; and
storing said INFO display record in said database.
39. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:
assigning an INFO duration to each information in said sequence of
information to provide a plurality of INFO durations;
storing said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO
durations in said database; and
wherein the step of continuously displaying displays said each
information in said sequence of information for said INFO duration
assigned to said each information before displaying next
information in said sequence of information.
40. The method of claim 39, further comprising the steps of:
determining which information in said sequence of information was
display to said each subscriber as a function of said login time,
said login date, said logout date, said logout time and said
plurality of INFO durations to provide a list of display
information for said each subscriber; and
storing said list of display information for said each subscriber
in said database.
41. The method of claim 40, wherein said list of displayed
information for said each subscriber contains a list of INFO IDs
corresponding to the displayed information.
42. The method of claim 41, further comprising the steps of:
determining date and time that each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information was displayed on said associated processing
device as a function of said login time, said login date, said
logout time, said logout date and said plurality of INFO durations
to provide a display date and a display time for said each INFO ID
in said list of displayed information for said each subscriber;
and
storing said display date and said display time for said each INFO
ID in said list of displayed information for said each subscriber
in said database.
43. The method of claim 42, further comprising the steps of:
generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information for said each subscriber, said INFO display
record containing an INFO ID and said subscriber ID of said each
subscriber, and said display date, said display time and said INFO
duration associated with said INFO ID; and
storing said INFO display record in said database.
44. The method of claim 37, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
45. The method of claim 44, wherein said location ID includes a zip
code; wherein said associated processing device includes a storage
device; and the method further comprising the steps of:
generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information for said each subscriber, said INFO display
record containing an INFO ID, said subscriber ID and said location
ID of said each subscriber, and said display date, said display
time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID;
storing said INFO display record in said storage device of said
associated processing device; and
transmitting said INFO display record to said database.
46. The method of claim 44, further comprising the steps of:
generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information for said each subscriber, said INFO display
record containing an INFO ID, said subscriber ID and said location
ID of said each subscriber, and said display date, said display
time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID; and
storing said INFO display record in said database.
47. The method of claim 42, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
48. The method of claim 47, further comprising the steps of:
generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information for said each subscriber, said INFO display
record containing an INFO ID, said subscriber ID and said location
ID of said each subscriber, and said display date, said display
time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID; and
storing said INFO display record in said database.
49. The method of claim 47, wherein said location ID includes a zip
code; wherein said associated processing device includes a storage
device; and the method further comprising the steps of:
generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information for said each subscriber, said INFO display
record containing an INFO ID, said subscriber ID and said location
ID of said each subscriber, and said display date, said display
time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID;
storing said INFO display record in said storage device of said
associated processing device; and
transmitting said INFO display record to said database.
50. The method of claim 32, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
51. The method of claim 50, wherein said location ID includes a zip
code.
52. The method of claim 50, further comprising the steps of:
generating a session usage record for said each subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time, said session duration and said
location ID; and
storing said session usage record for said each subscriber in said
database.
53. The method of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
54. The method of claim 53, wherein said location ID includes a zip
code.
55. The method of claim 53, further comprising the steps of:
generating a session usage record for said each subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time, said session duration and said
location ID; and
storing said session usage record for said each subscriber in said
database.
56. A method of delivering information to subscribers on a
communication network, wherein a plurality of data providers and a
plurality of processing devices, each processing device uniquely
associated with a subscriber, are connected to said network,
comprising the steps of:
assigning an unique subscriber ID to each of said plurality of
processing devices;
verifying the authorization of said each subscriber to determine if
said each subscriber is authorized to connect to said network;
generating a login time and a login date for said each subscriber
if it is determined that said each subscriber is authorized to
connect to said network;
storing said subscriber ID, said login time and said login date for
said each subscriber in a database connected to said network if it
is determined that said each subscriber is authorized to connect
said network;
receiving a sequence of information by said plurality of processing
devices from a plurality of INFO sources connected to said
network;
selecting at least one data provider by each subscriber to display
data that is received from said at least one data provider via said
network;
continuously displaying said sequence of information simultaneously
with said data received from said at least one data provider
selected by said each subscriber on an associated processing device
if it is determined that said each subscriber is authorized to
connect to said network, such that said sequence of information and
said data requested by said each subscriber are simultaneously
viewable, and wherein said data to be displayed on said associated
processing device is selectable by said each subscriber and the
display of said sequence of information is not controllable by said
each subscriber;
generating a ping signal every predetermined interval by said
associated processing device if it is determined that said each
subscriber is authorized to connect to said network;
transmitting said ping signal to said database;
updating said database to indicate expected time of next ping
signal from said each subscriber;
generating a logout time and a logout date for said each subscriber
when said ping signal is not received from said associated
processing device substantially within said expected time; and
storing said logout time and said logout date for said each
subscriber in said database.
57. The method of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:
generating a ping signal every predetermined interval by said
associated processing device if it is determined that said each
subscriber is authorized to connect to said network;
transmitting said ping signal to said database;
updating said database to indicate expected time of next ping
signal from said each subscriber; and
wherein the step of generating said logout time and said logout
date generates said logout time and said logout date for said each
subscriber when said ping signal is not received from said
associated processing device substantially within said expected
time.
58. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of continuously
displaying includes the steps of:
determining date and time that each information in said sequence of
information is displayed on said associated processing device to
provide a display date and a display time, respectively; and
storing said display date and said display time for said each
information for said each subscriber in said database.
59. The method of claim 58, further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber, each INFO display record containing subscriber ID of
said each subscriber, and said INFO ID, said display date, said
display time and said INFO duration associated with said each
information; and
storing said plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber in said database.
60. The method of claim 58, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
61. The method of claim 60, wherein said location ID includes a zip
code; wherein said associated processing device includes a storage
device; and the method further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber, each INFO display record containing subscriber ID and
location ID of said each subscriber, and said INFO ID, said display
date, said display time and said INFO duration associated with said
each information;
storing said plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber in said storage device of said associated processing
device; and
transmitting said plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber to said database.
62. The method of claim 60, further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber, each INFO display record containing subscriber ID and
location ID of said each subscriber, and said INFO ID, said display
date, said display time and said INFO duration associated with said
each information; and
storing said plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber in said database.
63. The method of claim 3, wherein each of said plurality of
processing devices includes a monitor having a first portion and a
second portion, and an input device; and wherein the step of
continuously displaying displays said sequence of information in
said first portion of said monitor and displays said data received
from said at least one data provider selected by each subscriber in
said second portion of said monitor.
64. The method of claim 63, further comprising the steps of:
assigning an INFO duration to each information in said sequence of
information to provide a plurality of INFO durations;
storing said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO
durations in a database connected to said network; and
wherein the step of continuously displaying displays said each
information in said sequence of information for said INFO duration
assigned to said each information before displaying next
information in said sequence of information.
65. The method of claim 64 wherein said first portion of said
monitor is divided into a plurality of linked regions and a
plurality of unlinked regions, each of said plurality of linked
regions is linked to one of said plurality of data providers; and
the method further comprising the step of selecting one of said
plurality of linked regions by said each subscriber to receive
additional information.
66. The method of claim 65, wherein each of said plurality of data
providers is uniquely identified by a data provider ID and further
comprising the steps of:
assigning an unique subscriber ID to said associated processing
device;
detecting which information in said sequence of information is
being displayed on said first portion of said monitor associated
with said associated processing device to provide a displayed INFO
ID;
determining date and time that information corresponding to said
displayed INFO ID was displayed on said associated processing
device to provide a display date and a display time,
respectively;
detecting which one of said plurality of linked regions was
selected by
said each subscriber during the display of information
corresponding to said displayed INFO ID to provide a selected data
provider ID; and
storing said subscriber ID, said displayed INFO ID, said selected
data provider ID, said display date and said display time for said
each subscriber in said database if it is detected that said one of
said plurality of linked regions was selected by said each
subscriber.
67. The method of claim 66, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
68. The method of claim 67, wherein said location ID includes a zip
code; wherein said associated processing device includes a storage
device; and the method further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of clicked event records for said each
subscriber, each clicked event record for said each subscriber
being associated with a single selected data provider ID and said
each clicked event record contains said subscriber ID, said
location ID and said single selected data provider ID, and said
displayed INFO ID, said display date and said display time
associated with said single selected data provider ID;
storing said plurality of clicked event records for said each
subscriber in said storage device of said associated processing
device; and
transmitting said plurality of clicked event records for said each
subscriber to said database.
69. The method of claim 67, further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of clicked event records for said each
subscriber, each clicked event record for said each subscriber
being associated with a single selected data provider ID and said
each clicked event record contains said subscriber ID, said
location ID and said single selected data provider ID, and said
displayed INFO ID, said display date and said display time
associated with said single selected data provider ID; and
storing said plurality of clicked event records for said each
subscriber in said database.
70. The method of claim 1, wherein each information in said
sequence of information is a unsolicited request for data from one
of said plurality of data providers.
71. The method of claim 70, wherein said unsolicited request for
data is limited to a subset of said plurality of data
providers.
72. The method of claim 71, wherein the step of selecting at least
one data provider inhibits the selection of a data provider in said
subset by said each subscriber.
73. The method of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of data
providers is uniquely identified by a data provider ID and further
comprising the steps of storing said subscriber ID and said data
provider ID associated with at least one data provider selected by
said each subscriber in a database connected to said network.
74. The method of claim 73, further comprising the steps of:
determining date and time said data received from said at least one
data provider selected by said each subscriber was displayed on
said associated processing device to provide a display date and a
display time, respectively; and
storing said display date and said display time in said
database.
75. The method of claim 74, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
76. The method of claim 75, wherein said location ID includes a zip
code; wherein said associated processing device includes a storage
device; and wherein the method further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of data display records for said each
subscriber, each data display record for said each subscriber being
associated with a single data provider ID stored in said database
and said each data display record containing said subscriber ID,
said location ID and said single data provider ID, and said display
date and said display time associated with said single data
provider ID;
storing said plurality of data display records for said each
subscriber in said storage device of said associated processing
device; and
transmitting said plurality of data display records for said each
subscriber to said database.
77. The method of claim 75, further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of data display records for said each
subscriber, each data display record for said each subscriber being
associated with a single data provider ID stored in said database
and said each data display record containing said subscriber ID,
said location ID and said single data provider ID, and said display
date and said display time associated with said single data
provider ID; and
storing said plurality of data display records for said each
subscriber in said database.
78. The method of claim 2, wherein said network is a cable
television network; and wherein said plurality of processing
devices are converter boxes.
79. The method of claim 78, wherein said each of said plurality of
data providers represents a broadcast channel on said cable
television network.
80. The method of claim 79, wherein each of said converter boxes
includes a television receiving apparatus, wherein the step of
selecting at least one data provider selects a broadcast channel to
display a program that is received on said selected broadcast
channel and wherein the step of continuously displaying displays
said sequence of information simultaneously with said program
received on said selected broadcast channel.
81. The method of claim 80, wherein the step of selecting another
data provider selects a next broadcast channel to display a program
that is received on said next broadcast channel in response to said
input from said each subscriber and wherein the step of
continuously displaying displays said sequence of information
simultaneously with said program received on said next broadcast
channel.
82. The method of claim 81, wherein the step of selecting another
data provider includes operating a channel up button or a channel
down button on a channel selector operable with said convertor
box.
83. The method of claim 66, wherein the step of selecting one of
said plurality of linked regions includes the step of displaying
said additional information in said second portion of said
monitor.
84. The method of claim 66, wherein the step of selecting one of
said plurality of linked regions includes the steps of:
displaying a request for additional data to said each subscriber in
said second portion of said monitor;
entering said additional data on said input device by said each
subscriber; and
storing said additional data in said database.
85. A method of selectively delivering information to subscribers
on a communication network, wherein a plurality of data providers
and a plurality of processing devices, each processing device
uniquely associated with a subscriber, are connected to said
network, comprising the steps of:
storing profile data in a database connected to said network for
each subscriber;
storing a plurality of information received from a plurality of
INFO sources connected to said network in said database;
selecting a sequence of information for said each subscriber from
said plurality of information in accordance with said profile data
of said each subscriber, each information in said sequence of
information being uniquely identified by an INFO ID;
receiving a sequence of INFO IDs for said each subscriber by a
processing device associated with said each subscriber;
reading a sequence of information from said plurality of INFO
sources in accordance with said sequence of INFO IDs;
selecting at least one data provider by said each subscriber to
display data that is received from said at least one data provider
via said network; and
continuously displaying said sequence of information for said each
subscriber simultaneously with said data received from said at
least one data provider selected by said each subscriber on said
associated processing device such that said sequence of information
for said each subscriber and said data requested by said each
subscriber a resimultaneously viewable, and wherein said data to be
displayed on said associated processing device is selectable by
said each subscriber, the display of said sequence of information
for said each subscriber is not controllable by said each
subscriber and does not change in response to the selection of said
data by said each subscriber.
86. The method of claim 85, further comprising the step of
selecting another data provider in response to an input from said
each subscriber and wherein the step of continuously displaying
displays said sequence of information for said each subscriber
simultaneously with data received from said other data
provider.
87. The method of claim 85, wherein the step of continuously
displaying displays said sequence of information for said each
subscriber without interfering with the display of said data
received from said at least one data provider selected by said each
subscriber.
88. The method of claim 85, wherein each of said plurality of INFO
sources includes an INFO database and wherein the step of storing a
plurality of information includes the step of retrieving
information from each database to generate said plurality of
information.
89. The method of claim 85, further comprising the steps of:
verifying the authorization of said each subscriber to determine if
said each subscriber is authorized to connect to said network;
and
inhibiting said associated processing device from displaying said
sequence of information for said each subscriber if it is
determined that said each subscriber is not authorized to connect
to said network.
90. The method of claim 89, further comprising the step of
inhibiting said associated processing device from displaying said
data received from said at least one data provider selected by said
each subscriber if it is determined that said each subscriber is
not authorized to connect to said network.
91. The method of claim 85, further comprising the steps of:
verifying the authorization of said each subscriber to determine if
said each subscriber is authorized to connect to said network;
and
inhibiting said associated processing device from displaying said
data received from said at least one data provider selected by said
each subscriber if it is determined that said each subscriber is
not authorized to connect to said network.
92. The method of claim 85, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of advertisements.
93. The method of claim 85, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of messages or announcements.
94. The method of claim 85, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of news.
95. The method of claim 85, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of updates.
96. The method of claim 85, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of advertisements, messages or announcements,
news and updates.
97. The method of claim 85, wherein the information comprises
texts.
98. The method of claim 85, wherein the information comprises still
pictures.
99. The method of claim 85, wherein the information comprises
moving pictures.
100. The method of claim 85, wherein the information comprises a
video and audio component.
101. The method of claim 85, wherein the information is a
combination of text, still pictures and moving pictures.
102. The method of claim 90, wherein said network is a computer
network and said plurality of processing devices are terminals.
103. The method of claim 102, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a unique subscriber ID and a password to said each
subscriber on said communication network; and
storing said subscriber ID and said password for said each
subscriber in said database.
104. The method of claim 103, further comprising the step of
establishing a connection between each of said terminals and said
computer network.
105. The method of claim 104, wherein each terminal includes an
input device and wherein the step of establishing the connection
includes the steps of:
entering a subscriber ID and a password on said input device by
said each subscriber to initiate connection between a terminal
associated with said each subscriber and said communication
network;
transmitting said subscriber ID and said password entered on said
input device to said database for verification;
determining whether said subscriber ID entered on said input device
matches one of said subscriber IDs stored in said database to
provide a verified subscriber ID;
verifying said password entered on said input device matches said
password associated with said verified subscriber ID if said
verified subscriber ID is found; and
connecting said terminal associated with said each subscriber to
said
computer network if it is determined that said password entered on
said input device matches a password stored in said database which
is associated with said verified subscriber ID.
106. The method of claim 87, wherein said network is a computer
network and said plurality of processing devices are terminals.
107. The method of claim 106, wherein each of said plurality of
data providers is a server on said computer network and further
comprising the step of selecting data to be displayed from said at
least one data provider by said each subscriber.
108. The method of claim 107, wherein each of said terminals
includes an input device and wherein the step of selecting data
includes the step of:
entering a request for said data from said at least one server
connected to said computer network on said input device of a
terminal associated with said each subscriber; and
transmitting said request for said data to said at least one server
from said terminal associated with said each subscriber.
109. The method of claim 85, wherein said network is a computer
network and wherein said sequence of INFO IDs represents a sequence
of addresses, each address indicating the location of one of said
sequence of information in said plurality of INFO sources.
110. The method of claim 90, further comprising the steps of:
assigning an unique subscriber ID to each of said plurality of
processing devices;
generating a login time and a login date for said each subscriber
if it is determined that said each subscriber is authorized to
connect to said network; and
storing said subscriber ID, said login time and said login date for
said each subscriber in said database if it is determined that said
each subscriber is authorized to connect said network.
111. The method of claim 110, wherein the step of generating login
time and login date includes the steps of:
receiving from a source connected to said network a virtual date
and a virtual time; and
generating said login time and said login date for said each
subscriber as a function of said virtual time and said virtual
date, respectively.
112. The method of claim 110, further comprising the steps of:
determining whether a processing device is no longer connected to
said network;
generating a logout time and a logout date for said each subscriber
if it is determined that said processing device associated with
said each subscriber is no longer connected to said network;
and
storing said logout time and said logout date for said each
subscriber in said database if it is determined that said
processing device associated with said each subscriber is no longer
connected to said network.
113. The method of claim 112, further comprising the steps of:
generating a session duration for said each subscriber as a
function of said login time, said login date, said logout date and
said logout time; and
storing said session duration for said each subscriber in said
database.
114. The method of claim 113, further comprising the steps of:
generating a session usage record for said each subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time and said session duration;
and
storing said session usage record for said each subscriber in said
database.
115. A method of selectively delivering information to subscribers
on a communication network, wherein a plurality of data providers
and a plurality of processing devices, each processing device
uniquely associated with a subscriber, are connected to said
network, comprising the steps of:
storing profile data in a database connected to said network for
each subscriber;
storing a plurality of information received from a plurality of
INFO sources connected to said network in said database;
assigning an unique INFO ID and an INFO duration to each
information in said plurality of information to provide a plurality
of INFO IDs and a plurality of INFO durations;
storing said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO
durations in said database;
selecting a sequence of information for said each subscriber from
said plurality of information in accordance with said profile data
of said each subscriber;
receiving said sequence of information for said each subscriber by
a processing device associated with said each subscriber;
selecting at least one data provider by said each subscriber to
display data that is received from said at least one data provider
via said network; and
continuously displaying said sequence of information for said each
subscriber simultaneously with said data received from said at
least one data provider selected by said each subscriber on said
associated processing device such that said sequence of information
for said each subscriber and said data requested by said each
subscriber are simultaneously viewable, and wherein said data to be
displayed on said associated processing device is selectable by
said each subscriber, the display of said sequence of information
for said each subscriber is not controllable by said each
subscriber and said each information in said sequence of
information is displayed for said INFO duration assigned to said
each information before displaying next information in said
sequence of information for said each subscriber.
116. The method of claim 111, further comprising the steps of:
determining whether a processing device is no longer connected to
said network;
generating a logout time and a logout date for said each subscriber
as a function of said virtual date and said virtual time if it is
determined that said processing device associated with said each
subscriber is no longer connected to said network; and
storing said logout date and said logout time for said each
subscriber to said database if it is determined that said
processing device associated with said each subscriber is no longer
connected to said network.
117. The method of claim 116, further comprising the steps of:
generating a session duration for said each subscriber as a
function of said login time, said login date, said logout date and
said logout time; and
storing said session duration for said each subscriber to said
database.
118. The method of claim 117, further comprising the steps of:
generating a session usage record for said each subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time and said session duration;
and
storing said session usage record for said each subscriber in said
database.
119. The method of claim 112, further comprising the steps of:
assigning an INFO duration to each information in said plurality of
information a plurality of INFO durations;
storing said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO
durations in said database; and
wherein the step of continuously displaying displays said each
information in said sequence of information for said INFO duration
assigned to said each information before displaying next
information in said sequence of information for said each
subscriber.
120. The method of claim 119, further comprising the steps of:
determining which information in said sequence of information for
said each subscriber was displayed on said associated processing
device as a function of said login time, said login date, said
logout date, said logout time and said INFO durations assigned to
each information in said sequence of information for said each
subscriber to provide a list of displayed information for said each
subscriber; and
storing said list of displayed information for said each subscriber
in said database.
121. The method of claim 120, wherein said list of displayed
information for said each subscriber contains a list of INFO IDs
corresponding to the displayed information.
122. The method of claim 121, further comprising the steps of:
determining date and time that each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information was displayed on said associated processing
device as a function of said login time, said login date, said
logout time, said logout date and said INFO durations assigned to
each information in said sequence of information for said each
subscriber to provide a display date and a display time for said
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information for said each
subscriber; and
storing said display date and said display time for said each INFO
ID in said list of displayed information for said each subscriber
in said database.
123. The method of claim 122, further comprising the steps of:
generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information for said each subscriber, said INFO display
record containing an INFO ID and said subscriber ID of said each
subscriber, and said display date, said display time and said INFO
duration associated with said INFO ID; and
storing said INFO display record in said database.
124. The method of claim 116, further comprising the steps of:
assigning an INFO duration to each information in said plurality of
information to provide a plurality of INFO durations;
storing said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO
durations in said database; and
wherein the step of continuously displaying displays said each
information in said sequence of information for said INFO duration
assigned to said each information before displaying next
information in said sequence of information for said each
subscriber.
125. The method of claim 124, further comprising the steps of:
determining which information in said sequence of information for
said each subscriber was displayed on said associated processing
device as a function of said login time, said login date, said
logout date, said logout time and said INFO duration assigned to
each information in said sequence of information for said each
subscriber to provide a list of display information for said each
subscriber; and
storing said list of displayed information for said each subscriber
in said database.
126. The method of claim 125, wherein said list of displayed
information for said each subscriber contains a list of INFO IDs
corresponding to the displayed information.
127. The method of claim 126, further comprising the steps of:
determining date and time that each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information was displayed on said associated processing
device as a function of said login time, said login date, said
logout time, said logout date and said INFO duration assigned to
each information in said sequence of information for said each
subscriber to provide a display date and a display time for said
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information for said each
subscriber; and
storing said display date and said display time for said each INFO
ID in said list of displayed information for said each subscriber
in said database.
128. The method of claim 127, further comprising the steps of:
generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information for said each subscriber, said INFO display
record containing an INFO ID and said subscriber ID of said each
subscriber, and said display date, said display time and said INFO
duration associated with said INFO ID; and
storing said INFO display record in said database.
129. The method of claim 122, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
130. The method of claim 129, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; wherein said associated processing device includes a
storage device; and the method further comprising the steps of:
generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information for said each subscriber, said INFO display
record containing an INFO ID, said subscriber ID and said location
ID of said each subscriber, and said display date, said display
time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID;
storing said INFO display record in said storage device of said
associated processing device; and
transmitting said INFO display record to said database.
131. The method of claim 129, further comprising the steps of:
generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information for said each subscriber, said INFO display
record containing an INFO ID, said subscriber ID and said location
ID of said each subscriber, and said display date, said display
time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID; and
storing said INFO display record in said database.
132. The method of claim 127, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
133. The method of claim 132, further comprising the steps of:
generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information for said each subscriber, said INFO display
record containing an INFO ID, said subscriber ID and said location
ID of said each subscriber, and said display date, said display
time and said INFOduration associated with said INFO ID; and
storing said INFO display record in said database.
134. The method of claim 132, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code;
wherein said associated processing device includes a storage
device; and the method further comprising the steps of:
generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in said list of
displayed information for said each subscriber, said INFO display
record containing an INFO ID, said subscriber ID and said location
ID of said each subscriber, and said display date, said display
time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID;
storing said INFO display record in said storage device of said
associated processing device; and
transmitting said INFO display record to said database.
135. The method of claim 117, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
136. The method of claim 135, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code.
137. The method of claim 135, further comprising the steps of:
generating a session usage record for said each subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time, said session duration and said
location ID; and
storing said session usage record for said each subscriber in said
database.
138. The method of claim 113, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
139. The method of claim 138, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code.
140. The method of claim 138, further comprising the steps of:
generating a session usage record for said each subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time, said session duration and said
location ID; and
storing said session usage record for said each subscriber in said
database.
141. A method of selectively delivering information to subscribers
on a communication network, wherein a plurality of data providers
and a plurality of processing devices, each processing device
uniquely associated with a subscriber, are connected to said
network, comprising the steps of:
assigning an unique subscriber ID to each of said plurality of
processing devices;
storing profile data in a database connected to said network for
each subscriber;
storing a plurality of information received from a plurality of
INFO sources connected to said network in said database;
selecting a sequence of information for said each subscriber from
said plurality of information in accordance with said profile data
of said each subscriber;
verifying the authorization of said each subscriber to determine if
said each subscriber is authorized to connect to said network;
generating a login time and a login date for said each subscriber
if it is determined that said each subscriber is authorized to
connect to said network;
storing said subscriber ID, said login time and said login date for
said each subscriber in said database if it is determined that said
each subscriber is authorized to connect said network;
receiving said sequence of information for said each subscriber by
a processing device associated with said each subscriber;
selecting at least one data provider by said each subscriber to
display data that is received from said at least one data provider
via said network;
continuously displaying said sequence of information for said each
subscriber simultaneously with said data received from said at
least one data provider selected by said each subscriber on said
associated processing device if it is determined that said each
subscriber is authorized to connect to said network, such that said
sequence of information for said each subscriber and said data
requested by said each subscriber are simultaneously viewable, and
wherein said data to be displayed on said associated processing
device is selectable by said each subscriber and the display of
said sequence of information for said each subscriber is not
controllable by said each subscriber;
generating a ping signal every predetermined interval by said
associated processing device if it is determined that said each
subscriber is authorized to connect to said network;
transmitting said ping signal to said database;
updating said database to indicate expected time of next ping
signal from said each subscriber;
generating a logout time and a logout date for said each subscriber
when said ping signal is not received from said associated
processing device substantially within said expected time; and
storing said logout time and said logout date for said each
subscriber in said database.
142. The method of claim 116, further comprising the steps of:
generating a ping signal every predetermined interval by said
associated processing device if it is determined that said each
subscriber is authorized to connect to said network;
transmitting said ping signal to said database;
updating said database to indicate expected time of next ping
signal from said each subscriber; and
wherein the step of generating said logout time and said logout
date generates said logout time and said logout date for said each
subscriber when said ping signal is not received from said
associated processing device substantially within said expected
time.
143. The method of claim 115, wherein the step of continuously
displaying includes the steps of:
determining date and time that each information in said sequence of
information for each said subscriber was displayed on said
associated processing device to provide a display date and a
display time, respectively; and
storing said display date and said display time of said each
information for said each subscriber in said database.
144. The method of claim 143, further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber, each INFO display record containing subscriber ID of
said each subscriber, and said INFO ID, said display date, said
display time and said INFO duration associated with said each
information; and
storing said plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber in said database.
145. The method of claim 143, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
146. The method of claim 145, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; wherein said associated processing device includes a
storage device; and the method further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber, each INFO display record containing subscriber ID and
location ID of said each subscriber, and said INFO ID, said display
date, said display time and said INFO duration associated with said
each information;
storing said plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber in said storage device of said associated processing
device; and
transmitting said plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber to said database.
147. The method of claim 145, further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber, each INFO display record containing subscriber ID and
location ID of said each subscriber, and said INFO ID, said display
date, said display time and said INFO duration associated with said
each information; and
storing said plurality of INFO display records for said each
subscriber in said database.
148. The method of claim 87, wherein each of said plurality of
processing devices includes a monitor having a first portion and a
second portion, and an input device; and wherein the step of
continuously displaying displays said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in said first portion of said monitor and
displays said data received from said at least one data provider
selected by each subscriber in said second portion of said
monitor.
149. The method of claim 148, further comprising the steps of:
assigning an INFO duration to each information in said plurality of
information to provide a plurality of INFO durations;
storing said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO
durations in said database; and
wherein the step of continuously displaying displays said each
information in said sequence of information for said INFO duration
assigned to said each information before displaying next
information in said sequence of information for said each
subscriber.
150. The method of claim 149, wherein said first portion of said
monitor is divided into a plurality of linked regions and a
plurality of unlinked regions, each of said plurality of linked
regions is linked to one of said plurality of data providers; and
the method further comprising the step of selecting one of said
plurality of linked regions by said each subscriber to receive
additional information.
151. The method of claim 150, wherein each of said plurality of
data providers is uniquely identified by a data provider ID and
further comprising the steps of:
assigning an unique subscriber ID to said associated processing
device;
detecting which information in said sequence of information for
said each subscriber is being displayed on said first portion of
said monitor associated with said associated processing device to
provide a displayed INFO ID;
determining date and time that information corresponding to said
displayed INFO ID was displayed on said associated processing
device to provide a display date and a display time,
respectively;
detecting which one of said plurality of linked regions was
selected by said each subscriber during the display of information
corresponding to said displayed INFO ID to provide a selected data
provider ID; and
storing said subscriber ID, said displayed INFO ID, said selected
data provider ID, said display date and said display time for said
each subscriber in said database if it is detected that said one of
said plurality of linked regions was selected by said each
subscriber.
152. The method of claim 151, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
153. The method of claim 152, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; wherein said associated processing device includes a
storage device; and the method further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of clicked event records for said each
subscriber, wherein each clicked event record for said each
subscriber is associated with a single selected data provider ID
and said each clicked event record contains said subscriber ID,
said location ID and said single selected data provider ID, and
said displayed INFO ID, said display date and said display time
associated with said single selected data provider ID;
storing said plurality of clicked event records for said each
subscriber in said storage device of said associated processing
device; and
transmitting said plurality of clicked event records for said each
subscriber to said database.
154. The method of claim 152, further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of clicked event records for said each
subscriber, wherein each clicked event record for said each
subscriber is associated with a single selected data provider ID
and said each clicked event record contains said subscriber ID,
said location ID and said single selected data provider ID, and
said displayed INFO ID, said display date and said display time
associated with said single selected data provider ID; and
storing said plurality of clicked event records for said each
subscriber in said database.
155. The method of claim 85, wherein each information in said
sequence of information is a unsolicited request for data from one
of said plurality of data providers.
156. The method of claim 155, wherein said unsolicited request for
data is limited to a subset of said plurality of data
providers.
157. The method of claim 156, wherein the step of selecting at
least one data provider inhibits the selection of a data provider
in said subset by said each subscriber.
158. The method of claim 85, wherein each of said plurality of data
providers is uniquely identified by a data provider ID and further
comprising the steps of storing said subscriber ID and said data
provider ID associated with at least one data provider selected by
said each subscriber in said database.
159. The method of claim 158, further comprising the steps of:
determining a display date and a display time of said data received
from said at least one data provider selected by said each
subscriber on said associated processing device; and
storing said display date and said display time in said
database.
160. The method of claim 159, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
161. The method of claim 160, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; wherein said associated processing device includes a
local storage; and the method further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of data display records for said each
subscriber, wherein each data display record for said each
subscriber is associated with a single data provider ID stored in
said database and said each data display record contains said
subscriber ID, said location ID and said single data provider ID,
and said display date and said display time
associated with said single data provider ID;
storing said plurality of data display records for said each
subscriber in said storage device of said associated processing
device; and
transmitting said plurality of data display records for said each
subscriber to said database.
162. The method of claim 160, further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of data display records for said each
subscriber, wherein each data display record for said each
subscriber is associated with a single data provider ID stored in
said database and said each data display record contains said
subscriber ID, said location ID and said single data provider ID,
and said display date and said display time associated with said
single data provider ID; and
storing said plurality of data display records for said each
subscriber in said database.
163. The method of claim 86, wherein said communication network is
a cable television network and wherein said plurality of processing
devices are converter boxes.
164. The method of claim 163, wherein said each of said plurality
of data providers represents a broadcast channel on said cable
television network.
165. The method of claim 164, wherein each of said converter boxes
includes a television receiving apparatus, wherein the step of
selecting at least one data provider selects a broadcast channel to
display a program that is received on said selected broadcast
channel and wherein the step of continuously displaying displays
said sequence of information for said each subscriber
simultaneously with said program received on said selected
broadcast channel.
166. The method of claim 165, wherein the step of selecting another
data provider selects a next broadcast channel to display a program
that is received on said next broadcast channel in response to said
input from said each subscriber and wherein the step of
continuously displaying displays said sequence of information for
said each subscriber simultaneously with said program received on
said next broadcast channel.
167. The method of claim 166, wherein the step of selecting another
data provider includes operating a channel up button or a channel
down button on a channel selector operable with said convertor
box.
168. The method of claim 105, wherein the step of connecting said
terminal includes the steps of:
selecting an access phone number by said each subscriber; and
connecting said terminal to said computer network using said access
phone number.
169. The method of claim 168, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
access phone number associated with said each subscriber.
170. The method of claim 168, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a location ID for said each subscriber in accordance with
the locality of said associated processing device; and
storing said location ID for said each subscriber in said
database.
171. The method of claim 170, wherein said location id includes at
least a zip code.
172. The method of claim 171, further comprising the steps of:
determining whether said zip code stored for said each subscriber
is associated with said access phone number selected by said each
subscriber;
assigning said zip code as a location zip code for said each
subscriber if it is determined that said zip code is associated
with said access phone number; and
assigning said location zip code for said each subscriber in
accordance with said access phone number if it is determined that
said zip code is not associated with said access phone number.
173. The method of claim 172, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
location zip code associated with said each subscriber.
174. The method of claim 173, further comprising the step of
determining a time zone in accordance with said location zip
code.
175. The method of claim 174, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a display time range to each of said plurality of
information to provide a plurality of display time ranges; and
storing said plurality of display time ranges in said database.
176. The method of claim 175, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data, said
location zip code, a current time and said time zone associated
with said each subscriber, and said plurality of display time
ranges.
177. The method of claim 168, further comprising the steps of:
assigning a display time range to each of said plurality of
information to provide a plurality of display time ranges; and
storing said plurality of display time ranges in said database.
178. The method of claim 168, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data, said
access phone number and a current time associated with said each
subscriber, and said plurality of display time ranges.
179. The method of claim 85, wherein each of said plurality of
processing devices includes an input device and wherein the method
of storing profile data includes the step of entering said profile
data on said input device of said associated processing device by
said each subscriber.
180. The method of claim 179, further comprising the steps of:
assigning an unique subscriber ID to each of said plurality of
processing devices;
entering additional profile data on said input device by said each
subscriber; and
storing said subscriber ID and said additional profile data for
said each subscriber in said database.
181. The method of claim 180, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
additional profile data.
182. The method of claim 114, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
session usage record.
183. The method of claim 118, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
session usage record.
184. The method of claim 137, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
session usage record.
185. The method of claim 140, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
session usage record.
186. The method of claim 123, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
INFO display record.
187. The method of claim 128, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
INFO display record.
188. The method of claim 131, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
INFO display record.
189. The method of claim 133, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
INFO display record.
190. The method of claim 144, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
INFO display record.
191. The method of claim 147, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
INFO display record.
192. The method of claim 154, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
plurality of clicked event records.
193. The method of claim 162, wherein the step of selecting a
sequence of information selects said sequence of information for
said each subscriber in accordance with said profile data and said
plurality of data display records.
194. The method of claim 85, wherein said database comprises at
least first and second databases; wherein the method of storing
profile data stores said profile data in said first database; and
wherein the method of storing a plurality of information stores
said plurality of information in said second database.
195. The method of claim 103, wherein said database comprises at
least first, second and third databases; wherein the method of
storing profile data stores said profile data in said first
database; wherein the method of storing a plurality of information
stores said plurality of information in said second database; and
wherein the method of storing said subscriber ID and said password
stores said subscriber ID and said password in said third
database.
196. The method of claim 114, wherein said database comprises at
least first, second and third databases; wherein the method of
storing profile data stores said profile data in said first
database; wherein the method of storing a plurality of information
stores said plurality of information in said second database;
wherein the method of storing said subscriber ID, said login time
and said login date stores said subscriber ID, said login time and
said login date in said third database; wherein the method of
storing said logout time and said logout date stores said logout
time and said logout date in said third database; wherein the
method of storing said session duration stores said session
duration in said third database; and wherein the method of storing
said session usage record stores said session usage records in said
third database.
197. The method of claim 128, wherein said database comprises at
least first, second and third databases; wherein the method of
storing profile data stores said profile data in said first
database; wherein the method of storing a plurality of information
stores said plurality of information in said second database;
wherein the method of storing said subscriber ID, said login time
and said login date stores said subscriber ID, said login time and
said login date in said third database; wherein the method of
storing said logout time and said logout date stores said logout
time and said logout date in said third database; wherein the
method of storing said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of
INFO durations stores said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality
of INFO durations in said third database; wherein the method of
storing said list of displayed information stores said list of
displayed information in said third database; wherein the method of
storing said display date and said display time stores said display
date and said display time in said third database; and wherein the
method of storing said INFO display record stores said INFO display
record in said third database.
198. The method of claim 131, wherein said database comprises at
least first, second and third databases; wherein the method of
storing profile data stores said profile data in said first
database; wherein the method of storing a plurality of information
stores said plurality of information in said second database;
wherein the method of storing said subscriber ID, said login time
and said login date stores said subscriber ID, said login time and
said login date in said third database; wherein the method of
storing said logout time and said logout date stores said logout
time and said logout date in said third database; wherein the
method of storing said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of
INFO durations stores said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality
of INFO durations in said third database; wherein the method of
storing said list of displayed information stores said list of
displayed information in said third database; wherein the method of
storing said display date and said display time stores said display
date and said display time in said third database; wherein the
method of storing said location ID stores said location ID in said
third database; and wherein the method of storing said INFO display
record stores said INFO display record in said third database.
199. The method of claim 137, wherein said database comprises at
least first, second and third databases; wherein the method of
storing profile data stores said profile data in said first
database; wherein the method of storing a plurality of information
stores said plurality of information in said second database;
wherein the method of storing said subscriber ID, said login time
and said login date stores said subscriber ID, said login time and
said login date in said third database; wherein the method of
storing said logout time and said logout date stores said logout
time and said logout date in said third database; wherein the
method of storing said session duration stores said session
duration in said third database; wherein the method of storing
location ID stores said location ID in said third database; and
wherein the method of storing said session usage record stores said
session usage records in said third database.
200. The method of claim 154, wherein said database comprises at
least first, second and third databases; wherein the method of
storing profile data stores said profile data in said first
database; wherein the method of storing a plurality of information
stores said plurality of information
in said second database; wherein the method of storing said
plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO durations stores
said plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO durations in
said third database; wherein the method of storing said subscriber
ID, said displayed INFO ID, said selected data provider ID, said
display date and said display time stores said subscriber ID, said
displayed INFO ID, said selected data provider ID, said display
date and said display time in said third database; wherein the
method of storing location ID stores said location ID in said third
database; and wherein the method of storing said plurality of
clicked event records stores said plurality of clicked event
records in said third database.
201. The method of claim 162, wherein said database comprises at
least first, second and third databases; wherein the method of
storing profile data stores said profile data in said first
database; wherein the method of storing a plurality of information
stores said plurality of information in said second database;
wherein the method of storing said subscriber ID and said data
provider ID stores said subscriber ID and said data provider ID in
said third database; wherein the method of storing said display
date and said display time stores said display date and said
display time in said third database; wherein the method of storing
said location ID stores said location ID in said third database;
and wherein the method of storing said plurality of data display
records stores said plurality of data display records in said third
database.
202. The method of claim 180, wherein said database comprises at
least first, second and third databases; wherein the method of
storing profile data stores said profile data in said first
database; wherein the method of storing a plurality of information
stores said plurality of information in said second database; and
wherein the method of storing said subscriber ID and said
additional profile data stores said subscriber ID and said
additional profile data in said third database.
203. The method of claim 160, further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of data display records for each of said
plurality of data providers, each data display record containing
said profile data, said location ID and said single data provider
ID, and said display date and said display time associated with
said single data provider ID; and
storing said plurality of data display records for said each of
said plurality of data providers in said database.
204. The method of claim 203, wherein said database comprises at
least first, second and third databases; wherein the method of
storing profile data stores said profile data in said first
database; wherein the method of storing a plurality of information
stores said plurality of information in said second database;
wherein the method of storing said data provider ID in said third
database; wherein the method of storing said display date and said
display time stores said display date and said display time in said
third database; wherein the method of storing said location ID
stores said location ID in said third database; and wherein the
method of storing said plurality of data display records stores
said plurality of data display records in said third database.
205. The method of claim 160, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; wherein said associated processing device includes a
storage device; and the method further comprising the steps of:
generating a plurality of data display records for each of said
plurality of data providers, each data display record containing
said profile data, said location ID and said single data provider
ID, and said display date and said display time associated with
said single data provider ID;
storing said plurality of data display records for said each of
said plurality of data providers in said storage device of said
associated processing device; and
transmitting said plurality of data display records for said each
of said plurality of data providers to said database.
206. The method of claim 151, wherein the step of selecting
includes the step of displaying said additional information in said
second portion of said monitor.
207. The method of claim 151, wherein the step of selecting
includes the steps of:
displaying a request for additional data to said each subscriber in
said second portion of said monitor;
entering said additional data on said input device by said each
subscriber;
reading said profile data corresponding to said subscriber ID from
said database;
generating a packet containing said subscriber ID, said profile
data and said additional data; and
storing said packet in said database.
208. A system for delivering information to subscribers on a
communication network, comprising:
a plurality of data providers connected to said network;
a plurality of INFO sources connected to said network for providing
a sequence of information, each information uniquely identified by
an INFO ID; and
a plurality of processing devices connected to said network, each
uniquely associated with a subscriber to provide an associated
processing device and having a receiver for receiving a sequence of
INFO IDs from said plurality of INFO sources, a device for reading
said sequence of information from said plurality of INFO sources in
accordance with said sequence of INFO IDs, a selector for selecting
at least one data provider by said subscriber and a display device
for continuously displaying said sequence of information
simultaneously with said data received from said at least one data
provider selected by said subscriber such that said sequence of
information and said data requested by said subscriber are
simultaneously viewable, and wherein said data to be displayed on
said display device is selectable by said subscriber, the display
of said sequence of information on said display device is not
controllable by said subscriber and does not change in response to
the selection of said data by said each subscriber.
209. The system of claim 208, wherein said selector is operable to
select another data provider in response to an input from said
subscriber and wherein said display device is operable to
continuously display said sequence of information simultaneously
with data received from said other data provider.
210. The system of claim 208, wherein said display device is
operable to continuously display said sequence of information
without interfering with the display of said data received from
said at least one data provider selected by said subscriber.
211. The system of claim 208, wherein each of said plurality of
INFO sources includes a storage device and wherein said receiver
includes a reading device for reading information from each storage
device to generate said sequence of information.
212. The system of claim 208, further comprising:
a verifying device for verifying the authorization of said
subscriber to determine if said subscriber is authorized to connect
to said network; and
an inhibiting device for inhibiting said displaying device from
displaying said sequence of information if it is determined that
said subscriber is not authorized to connect to said network.
213. The system of claim 212, wherein said inhibiting device is
operable to inhibit said display device from displaying said data
received from said at least one data provider selected by said
subscriber if it is determined that said subscriber is not
authorized to connect to said network.
214. The system of claim 208, further comprising:
a device for verifying the authorization of said subscriber to
determine if said subscriber is authorized to connect to said
network; and
an inhibiting device for inhibiting said display device from
displaying said data received from said at least one data provider
selected by said subscriber if it is determined that said
subscriber is not authorized to connect to said network.
215. The system of claim 208, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of advertisements.
216. The system of claim 208, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of messages or announcements.
217. The system of claim 208, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of news.
218. The system of claim 208, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of updates.
219. The system of claim 208, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of advertisements, messages or announcements,
news and updates.
220. The system of claim 208, wherein the information comprises
texts.
221. The system of claim 208, wherein the information comprises
still pictures.
222. The system of claim 208, wherein the information comprises
moving pictures.
223. The system of claim 208, wherein the information comprises a
video and audio component.
224. The system of claim 208, wherein the information is a
combination of text, still pictures and moving pictures.
225. The system of claim 213, wherein said network is a computer
network and said associated processing device is a terminal.
226. The system of claim 225, further comprising:
a device for assigning a unique subscriber ID and a password to
said subscriber on said communication network; and
a storage device for storing said subscriber ID and said password
for said subscriber.
227. The system of claim 226, wherein said terminal includes a
connecting device for establishing a connection between said
terminal and said computer network.
228. The system of claim 227, wherein said terminal further
includes an input device for entering a subscriber ID and a
password by said subscriber to initiate a connection between said
terminal and said communication network and a transmitter for
transmitting said subscriber ID and said password entered on said
input device to said storage device for verification;
the system further comprising a device for determining whether said
subscriber ID entered on said input device matches one of said
subscriber IDs stored in said storage device to provide a verified
subscriber ID;
wherein said verifying device is operable to verify said password
entered on said input device matches said password associated with
said verified subscriber ID if said verified subscriber ID is
found; and
wherein said connecting device is operable to connect said terminal
associated with said subscriber to said computer network if it is
determined that said password entered on said input device matches
a password stored in said storage device which is associated with
said verified subscriber ID.
229. The system of claim 210, wherein said network is a computer
network and said associated processing device is a terminal.
230. The system of claim 229, wherein each of said plurality of
data providers is a server on said computer network and wherein
said selector is operable to select data to be displayed from said
at least one data provider by said subscriber.
231. The system of claim 230, wherein said selector includes:
an input device for entering a request for said data from said at
least one server connected to said computer network by said
subscriber; and
a transmitter for transmitting said request for said data to said
at least one server from said terminal associated with said
subscriber.
232. The system of claim 208, wherein said network is a computer
network; wherein said receiver is operable for receiving a sequence
of addresses from an INFO address provider connected to said
network, each address indicating the location of one of said
sequence of information in said plurality of INFO sources; and
wherein said device for reading reads said sequence of information
from said plurality of INFO sources in accordance with said
sequence of addresses.
233. The system of claim 213, further comprising:
a device for assigning an unique subscriber ID to each of said
plurality of processing devices;
a time device for generating a login time and a login date for said
subscriber if it is determined that said subscriber is authorized
to connect to said network; and
a storage device connected to said network for storing said
subscriber ID, said login time and said login date for said
subscriber if it is determined that said subscriber is authorized
to connect said network.
234. The system of claim 233, wherein said time device is located
within said associated processing device, operable to receive a
virtual date and a virtual time from a source connected to said
network and operable to generate said login time and said login
date for said subscriber as a function of said virtual time and
said virtual date, respectively.
235. The system of claim 233, further comprising a disconnect
device for determining whether said associated processing device is
no longer connected to said network; and wherein said time device
is operable to generate a logout time and a logout date for said
subscriber if it is determined that said associated processing
device is no longer connected to said network; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said logout time and said
logout date for said subscriber if it is determined that said
associated processing device is no longer connected to said
network.
236. The system of claim 235, wherein said disconnect device is
operable to generate a session duration for said subscriber as a
function of said login time, said login date, said logout date and
said logout time; and wherein said storage device is operable to
store said session duration for
said subscriber.
237. The system of claim 236, wherein said disconnect device is
operable to generate a session usage record for said subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time and said session duration; and
wherein said storage device is operable to store said session usage
record.
238. A system for delivering information to subscribers on a
communication network, comprising:
a plurality of data providers connected to said network;
a plurality of INFO sources connected to said network for providing
a sequence of information;
a device for assigning an unique INFO ID and an INFO duration to
each information from said plurality of INFO sources to provide a
plurality of INFO IDs and a plurality of INFO durations;
a storage device connected to said network for storing said
plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO durations; and
a plurality of processing devices connected to said network, each
uniquely associated with a subscriber to provide an associated
processing device and having a receiver for receiving said sequence
of information from said plurality of INFO sources, a selector for
selecting at least one data provider by said subscriber and a
display device for continuously displaying said sequence of
information simultaneously with said data received from said at
least one data provider selected by said subscriber such that said
sequence of information and said data requested by said subscriber
are simultaneously viewable, and wherein said data to be displayed
on said display device is selectable by said subscriber, the
display of said sequence of information on said display device is
not controllable by said subscriber and said each information in
said sequence of information is displayed for said INFO duration
assigned to said each information before displaying next
information in said sequence of information.
239. The system of claim 234, further comprising a disconnect
device for determining whether said associated processing device is
no longer connected to said network; and wherein said time device
is operable to generate a logout time and a logout date for said
subscriber if it is determined that said associated processing
device is no longer connected to said network; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said logout time and said
logout date for said subscriber if it is determined that said
associated processing device is no longer connected to said
network.
240. The system of claim 239, wherein said disconnect device is
operable to generate a session duration for said subscriber as a
function of said login time, said login date, said logout date and
said logout time; and wherein said storage device is operable to
store said session duration for said subscriber.
241. The system of claim 240, wherein said disconnect device is
operable to generate a session usage record for said subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time and said session duration; and
wherein said storage device is operable to store said session usage
record.
242. The system of claim 235, further comprising a device for
assigning an INFO duration to each information in said sequence of
information to provide a plurality of INFO durations; wherein said
storage device is operable to store said plurality of INFO IDs and
said plurality of INFO durations; and wherein said display device
is operable to display said each information in said sequence of
information for said INFO duration assigned to said each
information before displaying next information in said sequence of
information.
243. The system of claim 242, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for determining which information in said
sequence of information was displayed on said associated processing
device as a function of said login time, said login date, said
logout date, said logout time and said plurality of INFO durations
to provide a list of displayed information for said subscriber; and
wherein said storage device is operable to store said list of
displayed information for said subscriber.
244. The system of claim 243, wherein said list of displayed
information for said subscriber contains a list of INFO IDs
corresponding to the displayed information.
245. The system of claim 244, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for determining date and time that
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information was displayed on
said associated processing device as a function of said login time,
said login date, said logout time, said logout date and said
plurality of INFO durations to provide a display date and a display
time for said each INFO ID in said list of displayed information
for said subscriber; and wherein said storage device is operable to
store said display date and said display time for said each INFO ID
in said list of displayed information for said subscriber.
246. The system of claim 245, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for generating an INFO display record for
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information for said
subscriber, said INFO display record containing an INFO ID, said
subscriber ID of said subscriber, and said display date, said
display time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID;
and wherein said storage device is operable to store said INFO
display record.
247. The system of claim 239, further comprising a device for
assigning an INFO duration to each information in said sequence of
information to provide a plurality of INFO durations; wherein said
storage device is operable to store said plurality of INFO IDs and
said plurality of INFO durations; and wherein said display device
is operable to display said each information in said sequence of
information for said INFO duration assigned to said each
information before displaying next information in said sequence of
information.
248. The system of claim 247, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for determining which information in said
sequence of information was displayed on said associated processing
device as a function of said login time, said login date, said
logout date, said logout time and said plurality of INFO durations
to provide a list of displayed information for said subscriber; and
wherein said storage device is operable to store said list of
displayed information for said subscriber.
249. The system of claim 248, wherein said list of displayed
information for said subscriber contains a list of INFO IDs
corresponding to the displayed information.
250. The system of claim 249, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for determining date and time that
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information was displayed on
said associated processing device as a function of said login time,
said login date, said logout time, said logout date and said
plurality of INFO durations to provide a display date and a display
time for said each INFO ID in said list of displayed information
for said subscriber; and wherein said storage device is operable to
store said display date and said display time for said each INFO ID
in said list of displayed information for said subscriber.
251. The system of claim 250, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for generating an INFO display record for
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information for said
subscriber, said INFO display record containing an INFO ID, said
subscriber ID of said subscriber, and said display date, said
display time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID;
and wherein said storage device is operable to store said INFO
display record.
252. The system of claim 245, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
253. The system of claim 252, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; and wherein said associated processing device
includes:
a device for generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in
said list of displayed information for said subscriber, said INFO
display record containing an INFO ID, said subscriber ID and said
location ID of said subscriber, and said display date, said display
time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID;
a local storage device for locally storing said INFO display
record; and
a transmitter for transmitting said INFO display record to said
storage device connected to said network.
254. The system of claim 252, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for generating an INFO display record for
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information for said
subscriber, said INFO display record containing an INFO ID, said
subscriber ID and said location ID of said subscriber, and said
display date, said display time and said INFO duration associated
with said INFO ID; and wherein said storage device is operable to
store said INFO display record.
255. The system of claim 250, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
256. The system of claim 255, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for generating an INFO display record for
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information for said
subscriber, said INFO display record containing an INFO ID, said
subscriber ID and said location ID of said subscriber, and said
display date, said display time and said INFO duration associated
with said INFO ID; and wherein said storage device is operable to
store said INFO display record.
257. The system of claim 255, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; and wherein said associated processing device
includes:
a device for generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in
said list of displayed information for said subscriber, said INFO
display record containing an INFO ID, said subscriber ID and said
location ID of said subscriber, and said display date, said display
time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID;
a local storage device for locally storing said INFO display
record; and
a transmitter for transmitting said INFO display record to said
storage device connected to said network.
258. The system of claim 240, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
259. The system of claim 258, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code.
260. The system of claim 258, wherein said disconnect device is
operable to generate a session usage record for said subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time, said session duration and said
location ID; and wherein said storage device is operable to store
said session usage record.
261. The system of claim 236, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
262. The system of claim 261, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code.
263. The system of claim 261, wherein said disconnect device is
operable to generate a session usage record for said subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time, said session duration and said
location ID; and wherein said storage device is operable to store
said session usage record.
264. A system for delivering information to subscribers on a
communication network, comprising:
a plurality of data providers connected to said network;
a plurality of INFO sources connected to said network for providing
a sequence of information;
a verifying device for verifying the authorization of said
subscriber to determine if said subscriber is authorized to connect
to said network;
a plurality of processing devices connected to said network, each
uniquely associated with a subscriber to provide an associated
processing device and having a receiver for receiving said sequence
of information from said plurality of INFO sources, a selector for
selecting at least one data provider by said subscriber and a
display device for continuously displaying said sequence of
information simultaneously with said data received from said at
least one data provider selected by said subscriber if it is
determined that said subscriber is authorized to connect to said
network, such that said sequence of information and said data
requested by said subscriber are simultaneously viewable, and
wherein said data to be displayed on said display device is
selectable by said subscriber and the display of said sequence of
information on said display device is not controllable by said
subscriber;
a device for assigning an unique subscriber ID to each of said
plurality of processing devices;
a device for generating a ping signal every predetermined interval
if it is determined that said subscriber is authorized to connect
to said network; and
a transmitter for transmitting said ping signal to said storage
device;
a time device for generating a login time and a login date for said
subscriber if it is determined that said subscriber is authorized
to connect to said network and for generating a logout time and a
logout date for said subscriber when said ping signal is not
received from said associated processing device substantially
within said expected time; and
a storage device connected to said network for storing said
subscriber ID, said login time, said login date, said logout time
and said logout date for said subscriber if it is determined that
said subscriber is authorized to connect said network and for
updating an expected time of next ping signal from said
subscriber.
265. The system of claim 239, wherein said associated processing
device further includes:
a device for generating a ping signal every predetermined interval
if it is determined that said subscriber is authorized to connect
to said network; and
a transmitter for transmitting said ping signal to said storage
device; and
wherein said storage device is operable to update an expected time
of next ping signal from said subscriber; and
wherein said time device is operable to generate said logout time
and said logout date for said subscriber when said ping signal is
not received from said associated processing device substantially
within said expected time.
266. The system of claim 238, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for determining date and time that each
information in said sequence of information is displayed on said
associated processing device to provide a display date and a
display time, respectively; and wherein said storage device is
operable to store said display date and said display time for said
each information for said subscriber.
267. The system of claim 266, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for generating a plurality of INFO display
records for said subscriber, each INFO display record containing
subscriber ID of said subscriber, and said INFO ID, said display
date, said display time and said INFO duration associated with said
each information; and wherein said storage device is operable to
store said plurality of INFO display records.
268. The system of claim 266, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
269. The system of claim 268, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; and wherein said associated processing device
includes:
a device for generating a plurality of INFO display records for
said subscriber, each INFO display record containing subscriber ID
and location ID of said subscriber, and said INFO ID, said display
date, said display time and said INFO duration associated with said
each information;
a local storage device for locally storing said plurality of
display records; and
a transmitter for transmitting said plurality of INFO display
records to said storage device connected to said network.
270. The system of claim 268, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for generating a plurality of INFO display
records for said subscriber, each INFO display record containing
subscriber ID and location ID of said subscriber, and said INFO ID,
said display date, said display time and said INFO duration
associated with said each information; and wherein said storage
device is operable to store said plurality of INFO display
records.
271. The system of claim 210, wherein said associated processing
device includes an input device; and wherein said display devices
includes a first portion for displaying said sequence of
information and a second portion for displaying said data received
from said at least one data provider selected by said
subscriber.
272. The system of claim 271, further comprising:
a device for assigning an INFO duration to each information in said
sequence of information to provide a plurality of INFO durations;
and
a storage device connected to said network for storing said
plurality of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO durations; and
wherein said display device is operable to display said each
information in said sequence of information for said INFO duration
assigned to said each information before displaying next
information in said sequence of information for said
subscriber.
273. The system of claim 272, wherein said first portion of said
display device is divided into a plurality of linked regions and a
plurality of unlinked regions, each of said plurality of linked
regions is linked to one of said plurality of data providers; and
wherein said associated processing device further includes a region
selector for selecting one of said plurality of linked regions by
said each subscriber to receive additional information.
274. The system of claim 273, further comprising a device for
assigning an unique subscriber ID to said associated processing
device; wherein each of said plurality of data providers is
uniquely identified by a data provider ID; and wherein said
associated processing device further includes:
a detector for detecting which information in said sequence of
information is being displayed on said first portion of said
display device to provide a displayed INFO ID; and
a time device for determining date and time that information
corresponding to said displayed INFO ID was displayed on said
associated processing device to provide a display date and a
display time, respectively; and
wherein said detector is operable to detect which one of said
plurality of linked regions was selected by said subscriber during
the display of information corresponding to said displayed INFO ID
to provide a selected data provider ID; and
wherein said storing device is operable to store said subscriber
ID, said displayed INFO ID, said selected data provider ID, said
display date and said display time for said subscriber if it is
detected that said one of said plurality of linked regions was
selected by said subscriber.
275. The system of claim 274, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
276. The system of claim 275, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; and wherein said associated processing device further
includes:
a device for generating a plurality of clicked event records for
said subscriber, each clicked event record for said subscriber
being associated with a single selected data provider ID and said
each clicked event record containing said subscriber ID, said
location ID and said single selected data provider ID, and said
displayed INFO ID, said display date and said display time
associated with said single selected data provider ID;
a local storage device for locally storing said plurality of
clicked event records for said subscriber; and
a transmitter for said plurality of clicked event records for said
subscriber to said storage device connected to said network.
277. The system of claim 275, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for generating a plurality of
clicked event records for said subscriber, each clicked event
record for said subscriber being associated with a single selected
data provider ID and said each clicked event record containing said
subscriber ID, said location ID and said single selected data
provider ID, and said displayed INFO ID, said display date and said
display time associated with said single selected data provider ID;
and wherein said storage device is operable to store said plurality
of clicked event records for said subscriber.
278. The system of claim 208, wherein each information in said
sequence of information for said subscriber is a unsolicited
request for data from one of said plurality of data providers.
279. The system of claim 278, wherein said unsolicited request for
data is limited to a subset of said plurality of data
providers.
280. The system of claim 279, further comprising an inhibiting
device for inhibiting said selector from selecting a data provider
in said subset by said subscriber.
281. The system of claim 208, wherein each of said plurality of
data providers is uniquely identified by a data provider ID and
further comprising a storage device connected to said network for
storing said subscriber ID and said data provider ID associated
with at least one data provider selected by said subscriber.
282. The system of claim 281, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a time device for determining date and time
said data received from said at least one data provider selected by
said subscriber was displayed on said display device to provide a
display date and a display time, respectively; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said display date and said
display time.
283. The system of claim 282, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
284. The system of claim 283, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; and wherein said associated processing device further
includes:
a device for generating a plurality of data display records for
said subscriber, each data display record for said subscriber being
associated with a single data provider ID stored in said storage
device and said each data display record containing said subscriber
ID, said location ID and said single data provider ID, and said
display date and said display time associated with said single data
provider ID;
a local storage device for locally storing said plurality of data
display records for said subscriber; and
a transmitter for transmitting said plurality of data display
records for said subscriber to said storage device connected to
said network.
285. The system of claim 283, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for generating a plurality of data
display records for said subscriber, each data display record for
said subscriber being associated with a single data provider ID
stored in said storage device and said each data display record
containing said subscriber ID, said location ID and said single
data provider ID, and said display date and said display time
associated with said single data provider ID; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said plurality of data display
records for said subscriber.
286. The system of claim 209, wherein said network is a cable
television network and wherein said plurality of processing devices
are converter boxes.
287. The system of claim 286, wherein said each of said plurality
of data providers represents a broadcast channel on said cable
television network.
288. The system of claim 287, wherein each of said converter boxes
includes a television receiving apparatus, wherein said selector is
operable to select a broadcast channel to display a program that is
received on said selected broadcast channel and wherein said
display device is operable to continuously display said sequence of
information simultaneously with said program received on said
selected broadcast channel.
289. The system of claim 288, wherein said selector is operable to
select a next broadcast channel to display a program that is
received on said next broadcast channel in response to said input
from said subscriber and wherein said display device is operable to
continuously display said sequence of information simultaneously
with said program received on said next broadcast channel.
290. The system of claim 289, wherein said selector includes a
channel up button or a channel down button operable with said
convertor box.
291. The system of claim 274, wherein said region selector is
operable to control said display device to display said additional
information in said second portion of said display device.
292. The system of claim 274, wherein said region selector is
operable to control said display device to display a request for
additional data to said subscriber in said second portion of said
display device; wherein said input device is operable to enter said
additional data by said subscriber; and wherein said storage device
is operable to store said additional data.
293. A system for selectively delivering information to subscribers
on a communication network, comprising:
a plurality of data providers connected to said network;
a storage device connected to said network for storing profile data
of each subscriber and a plurality of information received from a
plurality of INFO sources connected to said network, each
information uniquely identified by an INFO ID;
an INFO selector for selecting a sequence of INFO IDs for said each
subscriber from said plurality of information in accordance with
said profile data of said each subscriber; and
a plurality of processing devices connected to said network, each
uniquely associated with a subscriber to provide an associated
processing device and having a receiver for receiving said sequence
of INFO IDs for said subscriber from said INFO selector, a device
for reading a sequence of information from said plurality of INFO
sources in accordance with said sequence of INFO IDs, a data
selector for selecting at least one data provider by said
subscriber and a display device for continuously displaying said
sequence of information for said subscriber simultaneously with
said data received from said at least one data provider selected by
said subscriber such that said sequence of information for said
subscriber and said data requested by said subscriber are
simultaneously viewable, and wherein said data to be displayed on
said display device is selectable by said subscriber, the display
of said sequence of information for said subscriber is not
controllable by said subscriber and does not change in response to
the selection of said data by said each subscriber.
294. The system of claim 293, wherein said data selector is
operable to select another data provider in response to an input
from said subscriber and wherein said display device is operable to
continuously display said sequence of information for said
subscriber simultaneously with data received from said other data
provider.
295. The system of claim 293, wherein said display device is
operable to continuously display said sequence of information for
said subscriber without interfering with the display of said data
received from said at least one data provider selected by said
subscriber.
296. The system of claim 293, wherein each of said plurality of
INFO sources includes an INFO database and further comprising a
device for retrieving information from each INFO database to
generate said plurality of information.
297. The system of claim 293, further comprising:
a verifying device for verifying the authorization of said
subscriber to
determine if said subscriber is authorized to connect to said
network; and
an inhibiting device for inhibiting said display device from
displaying said sequence of information for said subscriber if it
is determined that said subscriber is not authorized to connect to
said network.
298. The system of claim 297, wherein said inhibiting device is
operable to inhibit said display device from displaying said data
received from said at least one data provider selected by said
subscriber if it is determined that said subscriber is not
authorized to connect to said network.
299. The system of claim 293, further comprising:
a device for verifying the authorization of said subscriber to
determine if said subscriber is authorized to connect to said
network; and
an inhibiting device for inhibiting said display device from
displaying said data received from said at least one data provider
selected by said subscriber if it is determined that said
subscriber is not authorized to connect to said network.
300. The system of claim 293, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of advertisements.
301. The system of claim 293, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of messages or announcements.
302. The system of claim 293, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of news.
303. The system of claim 293, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of updates.
304. The system of claim 293, wherein said sequence of information
contains a sequence of advertisements, messages or announcements,
news and updates.
305. The system of claim 293, wherein the information comprises
texts.
306. The system of claim 293, wherein the information comprises
still pictures.
307. The system of claim 293, wherein the information comprises
moving pictures.
308. The system of claim 293, wherein the information comprises a
video and audio component.
309. The system of claim 293, wherein the information is a
combination of text, still pictures and moving pictures.
310. The system of claim 298, wherein said network is a computer
network and said associated processing device is a terminal.
311. The system of claim 310, further comprising a device for
assigning a unique subscriber ID and a password to said subscriber
on said communication network; and wherein said storage device is
operable to store said subscriber ID and said password for said
subscriber.
312. The system of claim 311, wherein said terminal includes a
connecting device for establishing a connection between said
terminal and said computer network.
313. The system of claim 312, wherein said terminal further
includes an input device for entering a subscriber ID and a
password by said subscriber to initiate a connection between said
terminal and said communication network and a transmitter for
transmitting said subscriber ID and said password entered on said
input device to said storage device for verification;
the system further comprising a device for determining whether said
subscriber ID entered on said input device matches one of said
subscriber IDs stored in said storage device to provide a verified
subscriber ID;
wherein said verifying device is operable to verify said password
entered on said input device matches said password associated with
said verified subscriber ID if said verified subscriber ID is
found; and
wherein said connecting device is operable to connect said terminal
associated with said subscriber to said computer network if it is
determined that said password entered on said input device matches
a password stored in said database which is associated with said
verified subscriber ID.
314. The system of claim 295, wherein said network is a computer
network and said associated processing device is a terminal.
315. The system of claim 314, wherein each of said plurality of
data providers is a server on said computer network and wherein
said data selector is operable to select data to be displayed from
said at least one data provider by said subscriber.
316. The system of claim 315, wherein said selector includes:
an input device for entering a request for said data from said at
least one server connected to said computer network by said
subscriber; and
a transmitter for transmitting said request for said data to said
at least one server from said terminal associated with said
subscriber.
317. The system of claim 293, wherein said network is a computer
network and wherein said receiver is operable for receiving a
sequence of addresses from said storage device, each address
indicating the location of one of said sequence of information in
said plurality of INFO sources; and wherein said device for reading
reads said sequence of information from said plurality of INFO
sources in accordance with said sequence of addresses.
318. The system of claim 298, further comprising:
a device for assigning an unique subscriber ID to each of said
plurality of processing devices;
a time device for generating a login time and a login date for said
subscriber if it is determined that said subscriber is authorized
to connect to said network; and wherein said storage device is
operable to store said subscriber ID, said login time and said
login date for said subscriber in said database if it is determined
that said each subscriber is authorized to connect said
network.
319. The system of claim 318, wherein said time device is located
within said associated processing device, operable to receive a
virtual date and a virtual time from a source connected to said
network and operable to generate said login time and said login
date for said subscriber as a function of said virtual time and
said virtual date, respectively.
320. The system of claim 318, further comprising a disconnect
device for determining whether said associated processing device is
no longer connected to said network; and wherein said time device
is operable to generate a logout time and a logout date for said
subscriber if it is determined that said associated processing
device is no longer connected to said network; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said logout time and said
logout date for said subscriber if it is determined that said
associated processing device is no longer connected to said
network.
321. The system of claim 320, wherein said disconnect device is
operable to generate a session duration for said subscriber as a
function of said login time, said login date, said logout date and
said logout time; and wherein said storage device is operable to
store said session duration for said subscriber.
322. The system of claim 321, wherein said disconnect device is
operable to generate a session usage record for said subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time and said session duration; and
wherein said storage device is operable to store said session usage
record.
323. A system for selectively delivering information to subscribers
on a communication network, comprising:
a plurality of data providers connected to said network;
a device for assigning an unique INFO ID and an INFO duration to
each information in a plurality of information received from a
plurality of INFO sources connected to said network to provide a
plurality of INFO IDs and a plurality of INFO durations;
a storage device connected to said network for storing profile data
of each subscriber, said plurality of information, said plurality
of INFO IDs and said plurality of INFO durations;
an INFO selector for selecting a sequence of information for said
each subscriber from said plurality of information in accordance
with said profile data of said each subscriber;
a plurality of processing devices connected to said network, each
uniquely associated with a subscriber to provide an associated
processing device and having a receiver for receiving said sequence
of information for said subscriber from said INFO selector, a data
selector for selecting at least one data provider by said
subscriber and a display device for continuously displaying said
sequence of information for said subscriber simultaneously with
said data received from said at least one data provider selected by
said subscriber such that said sequence of information for said
subscriber and said data requested by said subscriber are
simultaneously viewable, and wherein said data to be displayed on
said display device is selectable by said subscriber, the display
of said sequence of information for said subscriber is not
controllable by said subscriber and said each information in said
sequence of information is displayed for said INFO duration
assigned to said each information before displaying next
information in said sequence of information for said
subscriber.
324. The system of claim 319, further comprising a disconnect
device for determining whether said associated processing device is
no longer connected to said network; and wherein said time device
is operable to generate a logout time and a logout date for said
subscriber if it is determined that said associated processing
device is no longer connected to said network; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said logout time and said
logout date for said subscriber if it is determined that said
associated processing device is no longer connected to said
network.
325. The system of claim 324, wherein said disconnect device is
operable to generate a session duration for said subscriber as a
function of said login time, said login date, said logout date and
said logout time; and wherein said storage device is operable to
store said session duration for said subscriber.
326. The system of claim 325, wherein said disconnect device is
operable to generate a session usage record for said subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time and said session duration; and
wherein said storage device is operable to store said session usage
record.
327. The system of claim 320, further comprising a device for
assigning an INFO duration to each information in said plurality of
information to provide a plurality of INFO durations; wherein said
storage device is operable to store said plurality of INFO IDs and
said plurality of INFO durations; and wherein said display device
is operable to display said each information in said sequence of
information for said INFO duration assigned to said each
information before displaying next information in said sequence of
information for said subscriber.
328. The system of claim 327, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for determining which information in said
sequence of information for said subscriber was displayed on said
associated processing device as a function of said login time, said
login date, said logout date, said logout time and said plurality
of INFO durations to provide a list of displayed information for
said subscriber; and wherein said storage device is operable to
store said list of displayed information for said subscriber.
329. The system of claim 328, wherein said list of displayed
information for said subscriber contains a list of INFO IDs
corresponding to the displayed information.
330. The system of claim 329, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for determining date and time that
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information was displayed on
said associated processing device as a function of said login time,
said login date, said logout time, said logout date and said INFO
durations assigned to each information in said sequence of
information for said subscriber to provide a display date and a
display time for said each INFO ID in said list of displayed
information for said subscriber; and wherein said storage device is
operable to store said display date and said display time for said
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information for said
subscriber.
331. The system of claim 330, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for generating an INFO display record for
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information for said
subscriber, said INFO display record containing an INFO ID and said
subscriber ID of said subscriber, and said display date, said
display time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID;
and wherein said storage device is operable to store said INFO
display record in said database.
332. The system of claim 324, further comprising a device for
assigning an INFO duration to each information in said plurality of
information to provide a plurality of INFO durations; wherein said
storage device is operable to store said plurality of INFO IDs and
said plurality of INFO durations; and wherein said display device
is operable to display said each information in said sequence of
information for said INFO duration assigned to said each
information before displaying next information in said sequence of
information for said subscriber.
333. The system of claim 332, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for determining which information
in said sequence of information for said subscriber was displayed
on said associated processing device as a function of said login
time, said login date, said logout date, said logout time and said
INFO duration assigned to each information in said sequence of
information for said subscriber to provide a list of display
information for said subscriber; and wherein said storage device is
operable to store said list of displayed information for said
subscriber.
334. The system of claim 333, wherein said list of displayed
information for said subscriber contains a list of INFO IDs
corresponding to the displayed information.
335. The system of claim 334, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for determining date and time that
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information was displayed on
said associated processing device as a function of said login time,
said login date, said logout time, said logout date and said INFO
duration assigned to each information in said sequence of
information for said subscriber to provide a display date and a
display time for said each INFO ID in said list of displayed
information for said subscriber; and wherein said storage device is
operable to store said display date and said display time for said
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information for said
subscriber.
336. The system of claim 335, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for generating an INFO display
record for each INFO ID in said list of displayed information for
said subscriber, said INFO display record containing an INFO ID,
said subscriber ID of said subscriber, and said display date, said
display time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID;
and wherein said storage device is operable to store said INFO
display record.
337. The system of claim 330, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
338. The system of claim 337, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; and wherein said associated processing device
includes:
a device for generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in
said list of displayed information for said subscriber, said INFO
display record containing an INFO ID, said subscriber ID and said
location ID of said subscriber, and said display date, said display
time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID;
a local storage device for locally storing said INFO display
record; and
a transmitter for transmitting said INFO display record to said
storage device connected to said network.
339. The system of claim 337, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for generating an INFO display record for
each INFO ID in said list of displayed information for said
subscriber, said INFO display record containing an INFO ID, said
subscriber ID and said location ID of said subscriber, and said
display date, said display time and said INFO duration associated
with said INFO ID; and wherein said storage device is operable to
store said INFO display record.
340. The system of claim 335, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
341. The system of claim 340, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for generating an INFO display
record for each INFO ID in said list of displayed information for
said subscriber, said INFO display record containing an INFO ID,
said subscriber ID and said location ID of said subscriber, and
said display date, said display time and said INFO duration
associated with said INFO ID; and wherein said storage device is
operable to store said INFO display record.
342. The system of claim 340, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; and wherein said associated processing device further
includes:
a device for generating an INFO display record for each INFO ID in
said list of displayed information for said subscriber, said INFO
display record containing an INFO ID, said subscriber ID and said
location ID of said subscriber, and said display date, said display
time and said INFO duration associated with said INFO ID;
a local storage device for locally storing said INFO display
record; and
a transmitter for transmitting said INFO display record to said
storage device connected to said network.
343. The system of claim 325, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
344. The system of claim 343, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code.
345. The system of claim 343, wherein said disconnect device is
operable to generate a session usage record for said subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time, said session duration and said
location ID; and wherein said storage device is operable to store
said session usage record for said subscriber.
346. The system of claim 321, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
347. The system of claim 346, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code.
348. The system of claim 346, wherein said disconnect device is
operable to generate a session usage record for said subscriber
containing said subscriber ID, said login time, said login date,
said logout date, said logout time, said session duration and said
location ID; and wherein said storage device is operable to store
said session usage record for said subscriber.
349. A system for selectively delivering information to subscribers
on a communication network, comprising:
a plurality of data providers connected to said network;
a storage device connected to said network for storing profile data
of each subscriber and a plurality of information received from a
plurality of INFO sources connected to said network;
an INFO selector for selecting a sequence of information for said
each subscriber from said plurality of information in accordance
with said profile data of said each subscriber;
a verifying device for verifying the authorization of a subscriber
to determine if said subscriber is authorized to connect to said
network;
a plurality of processing devices connected to said network, each
uniquely associated with a subscriber to provide an associated
processing device and having a receiver for receiving said sequence
of information for said subscriber from said INFO selector, a data
selector for selecting at least one data provider by said
subscriber and a display device for continuously displaying said
sequence of information for said subscriber simultaneously with
said data received from said at least one data provider selected by
said subscriber if it is determined that said subscriber is
authorized to connect to said network, such that said sequence of
information for said subscriber and said data requested by said
subscriber are simultaneously viewable, and wherein said data to be
displayed on said display device is selectable by said subscriber
and the display of said sequence of information for said subscriber
is not controllable by said subscriber;
a device for assigning an unique subscriber ID to each of said
plurality of processing devices;
a device for generating a ping signal every predetermined interval
if it is determined that said subscriber is authorized to connect
to said network;
a transmitter for transmitting said ping signal to said storage
device;
a time device for generating a login time and a login date for said
subscriber if it is determined that said subscriber is authorized
to connect to said network and for generating a logout time and a
logout date for said subscriber when said ping signal is not
received from said associated processing device substantially
within said expected time; and
wherein said storage device is operable to store said subscriber
ID, said login time, said login date, said logout time, said logout
date for said subscriber in said database if it is determined that
said each subscriber is authorized to connect said network and for
updating an expected time of next ping signal from said
subscriber.
350. The system of claim 324, wherein said associated processing
device further includes:
a device for generating a ping signal every predetermined interval
if it is determined that said subscriber is authorized to connect
to said network; and
a transmitter for transmitting said ping signal to said storage
device; and
wherein said storage device is operable to update an expected time
of next ping signal from said subscriber; and
wherein said time device is operable to generate said logout time
and said logout date for said subscriber when said ping signal is
not received from said associated processing device substantially
within said expected time.
351. The system of claim 323, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for determining date and time that
each information in said sequence of information for said
subscriber was displayed on said associated processing device to
provide a display date and a display time, respectively; and
wherein said storage device is operable to store said display date
and said display time of said each information for said
subscriber.
352. The system of claim 351, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for generating a plurality of INFO
display records for said subscriber, each INFO display record
containing subscriber ID of said subscriber, and said INFO ID, said
display date, said display time and said INFO duration associated
with said each information; and wherein said storage device is
operable to store said plurality of INFO display records.
353. The system of claim 351, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
354. The system of claim 353, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; and wherein said associated processing device
includes:
a device for generating a plurality of INFO display records for
said subscriber, each INFO display record containing subscriber ID
and location ID of said subscriber, and said INFO ID, said display
date, said display time and said INFO duration associated with said
each information;
a storage device for locally storing said plurality of INFO display
records for said subscriber; and
a transmitter for transmitting said plurality of INFO display
records for said subscriber to said storage device connected to
said network.
355. The system of claim 353, wherein said associated processing
device includes a device for generating a plurality of INFO display
records for said subscriber, each INFO display record containing
subscriber ID and location ID of said subscriber, and said INFO ID,
said display date, said display time and said INFO duration
associated with said each information; and wherein said storage
device is operable to store said plurality of INFO display
records.
356. The system of claim 295, wherein said associated processing
device includes an input device; and wherein said display devices
includes a first portion for displaying said sequence of
information and a second portion for displaying said data received
from said at least one data provider selected by said
subscriber.
357. The system of claim 356, further comprising a device for
assigning an INFO duration to each information in said sequence of
information to provide a plurality of INFO durations; wherein said
storage device is operable to store said plurality of INFO IDs and
said plurality of INFO durations; and wherein said display device
is operable to display said each information in said sequence of
information for said INFO duration assigned to said each
information before displaying next information in said sequence of
information for said subscriber.
358. The system of claim 357, wherein said first portion of said
display device is divided into a plurality of linked regions and a
plurality of unlinked regions, each of said plurality of linked
regions is linked to one of said plurality of data providers; and
wherein said associated processing device further includes a region
selector for selecting one of said plurality of linked regions by
said each subscriber to receive additional information.
359. The system of claim 358, further comprising a device for
assigning an unique subscriber ID to said associated processing
device; wherein each of said plurality of data providers is
uniquely identified by a data provider ID; and wherein said
associated processing device further includes:
a detector for detecting which information in said sequence of
information is being displayed on said first portion of said
display device to provide a displayed INFO ID; and
a time device for determining date and time that information
corresponding to said displayed INFO ID was displayed on said
associated processing device to provide a display date and a
display time, respectively; and
wherein said detector is operable to detect which one of said
plurality of linked regions was selected by said subscriber during
the display of information corresponding to said displayed INFO ID
to provide a selected data provider ID; and
wherein said storing device is operable to store said subscriber
ID, said displayed INFO ID, said selected data provider ID, said
display date and said display time for said subscriber if it is
detected that said one of said plurality of linked regions was
selected by said subscriber.
360. The system of claim 359, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
361. The system of claim 360, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; and wherein said associated processing device further
includes:
a device for generating a plurality of clicked event records for
said subscriber, each clicked event record for said subscriber
being associated with a single selected data provider ID and said
each clicked event record containing said subscriber ID, said
location ID and said single selected data provider ID, and said
displayed INFO ID, said display date and said display time
associated with said single selected data provider ID;
a local storage device for locally storing said plurality of
clicked event records for said subscriber; and
a transmitter for transmitting said plurality of clicked event
records for said subscriber to said storage device connected to
said network.
362. The system of claim 360, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for generating a plurality of
clicked event records for said subscriber, each clicked event
record for said subscriber
being associated with a single selected data provider ID and said
each clicked event record containing said subscriber ID, said
location ID and said single selected data provider ID, and said
displayed INFO ID, said display date and said display time
associated with said single selected data provider ID; and wherein
said storage device is operable to store said plurality of clicked
event records for said subscriber.
363. The system of claim 293, wherein each information in said
sequence of information for said subscriber is a unsolicited
request for data from one of said plurality of data providers.
364. The system of claim 363, wherein said unsolicited request for
data is limited to a subset of said plurality of data
providers.
365. The system of claim 364, further comprising an inhibiting
device for inhibiting said selector from selecting a data provider
in said subset by said subscriber.
366. The system of claim 293, wherein each of said plurality of
data providers is uniquely identified by a data provider ID and
further comprising a storage device connected to said network for
storing said subscriber ID and said data provider ID associated
with at least one data provider selected by said subscriber.
367. The system of claim 366, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a time device for determining date and time
said data received from said at least one data provider selected by
said subscriber was displayed on said display device to provide a
display date and a display time, respectively; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said display date and said
display time.
368. The system of claim 367, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
369. The system of claim 368, wherein said location ID includes a
zip code; and wherein said associated processing device further
includes:
a device for generating a plurality of data display records for
said subscriber, each data display record for said subscriber being
associated with a single data provider ID stored in said storage
device and said each data display record containing said subscriber
ID, said location ID and said single data provider ID, and said
display date and said display time associated with said single data
provider ID;
a local storage device for locally storing said plurality of data
display records for said subscriber; and
a transmitter for transmitting said plurality of data display
records for said subscriber to said storage device connected to
said network.
370. The system of claim 368, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for generating a plurality of data
display records for said subscriber, each data display record for
said subscriber being associated with a single data provider ID
stored in said storage device and said each data display record
containing said subscriber ID, said location ID and said single
data provider ID, and said display date and said display time
associated with said single data provider ID; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said plurality of data display
records for said subscriber.
371. The system of claim 294, wherein said network is a cable
television network and wherein said plurality of processing devices
are converter boxes.
372. The system of claim 371, wherein said each of said plurality
of data providers represents a broadcast channel on said cable
television network.
373. The system of claim 372, wherein each of said converter boxes
includes a television receiving apparatus, wherein said selector is
operable to select a broadcast channel to display a program that is
received on said selected broadcast channel and wherein said
display device is operable to continuously display said sequence of
information simultaneously with said program received on said
selected broadcast channel.
374. The system of claim 373, wherein said selector is operable to
select a next broadcast channel to display a program that is
received on said next broadcast channel in response to said input
from said subscriber and wherein said display device is operable to
continuously display said sequence of information simultaneously
with said program received on said next broadcast channel.
375. The system of claim 374, wherein said selector includes a
channel up button or a channel down button operable with said
convertor box.
376. The system of claim 313, wherein said connecting device
includes a phone selector for selecting an access phone number by
said subscriber; and wherein said connecting device is operable to
connect said terminal to said computer network using said access
phone number.
377. The system of claim 376, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said access phone number
associated with said subscriber.
378. The system of claim 376, further comprising a device for
assigning a location ID for said subscriber in accordance with the
locality of said associated processing device; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said location ID for said
subscriber.
379. The system of claim 378, wherein said location id includes at
least a zip code.
380. The system of claim 379, further comprising:
a device for determining whether said zip code stored for said
subscriber is associated with said access phone number selected by
said subscriber; and
an assigning device for assigning said zip code as a location zip
code for said subscriber if it is determined that said zip code is
associated with said access phone number; and
wherein said assigning device is operable to assign said location
zip code for said subscriber in accordance with said access phone
number if it is determined that said zip code is not associated
with said access phone number.
381. The system of claim 380, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said location zip code
associated with said subscriber.
382. The system of claim 381, further comprising a device for
determining a time zone in accordance with said location zip
code.
383. The system of claim 382, further comprising a device for
assigning a display time range to each of said plurality of
information to provide a plurality of display time ranges; and
wherein said storage device is operable to store said plurality of
display time ranges.
384. The system of claim 383, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data, said location zip code, a
current time and said time zone associated with said subscriber,
and said plurality of display time ranges.
385. The system of claim 376, further comprising a device for
assigning a display time range to each of said plurality of
information to provide a plurality of display time ranges; and
wherein said storage device is operable to store said plurality of
display time ranges.
386. The system of claim 385, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data, said access phone number and
a current time associated with said subscriber, and said plurality
of display time ranges.
387. The system of claim 293, wherein said associated processing
device includes an input device for entering said profile data by
said subscriber; and wherein said storage device is operable to
store said profile data entered by said subscriber.
388. The system of claim 387, further comprising a device for
assigning an unique subscriber ID to each of said plurality of
processing devices; wherein said input device is operable to enter
additional profile data by said subscriber; and wherein said
storage device is operable to store said subscriber ID and said
additional profile data for said subscriber.
389. The system of claim 388, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said additional profile
data.
390. The system of claim 322, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said session usage
record.
391. The system of claim 326, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said session usage
record.
392. The system of claim 345, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said session usage
record.
393. The system of claim 348, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said session usage
record.
394. The system of claim 331, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said INFO display
record.
395. The system of claim 336, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said INFO display
record.
396. The system of claim 339, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said INFO display
record.
397. The system of claim 341, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said INFO display
record.
398. The system of claim 352, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said INFO display
record.
399. The system of claim 355, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said INFO display
record.
400. The system of claim 362, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said plurality of clicked
event records.
401. The system of claim 370, wherein said INFO selector is
operable to select said sequence of information for said subscriber
in accordance with said profile data and said plurality of data
display records.
402. The system of claim 293, wherein said storage device comprises
at least a first storage device for storing said profile data and a
second storage device for storing said plurality of
information.
403. The system of claim 311, wherein said storage device comprises
at least a first storage device for storing said profile data, a
second storage device for storing said plurality of information and
a third storage device for storing said subscriber ID and said
password.
404. The system of claim 322, wherein said storage device comprises
at least a first storage device for storing said profile data, a
second storage device for storing said plurality of information and
a third storage device for storing said subscriber ID, said login
time, said login date, said logout time, said logout date, said
session duration and said session usage records.
405. The system of claim 336, wherein said storage device comprises
at least a first storage device for storing said profile data, a
second storage device for storing said plurality of information and
a third storage device for storing said subscriber ID, said login
time, said login date, said logout time, said logout date, said
plurality of INFO IDs, said plurality of INFO durations, said list
of displayed information, said display date, said display time and
said INFO display record.
406. The system of claim 339, wherein said storage device comprises
at least a first storage device for storing said profile data, a
second storage device for storing said plurality of information and
a third storage device for storing said subscriber ID, said login
time, said login date, said logout time, said logout date, said
plurality of INFO IDs, said plurality of INFO durations, said list
of displayed information, said display date, said display time,
said location ID and said INFO display record.
407. The system of claim 345, wherein said storage device comprises
at least a first storage device for storing said profile data, a
second storage device for storing said plurality of information and
a third storage device for storing said subscriber ID, said login
time, said login date, said logout time, said logout date, said
session duration, said location ID and said session usage
records.
408. The system of claim 362, wherein said storage device comprises
at least a first storage device for storing said profile data, a
second storage device for storing said plurality of information and
a third storage device for storing said subscriber ID, said
plurality of INFO IDs, said plurality of INFO durations, said
displayed INFO ID, said selected data provider ID, said display
date, said display time, said location ID
and said plurality of clicked event records.
409. The system of claim 370, wherein said storage device comprises
at least a first storage device for storing said profile data, a
second storage device for storing said plurality of information and
a third storage device for storing said subscriber ID, said data
provider ID, said display date, said display time, said location ID
and said plurality of data display records.
410. The system of claim 388, wherein said storage device comprises
at least a first storage device for storing said profile data, a
second storage device for storing said plurality of information and
a third storage device for storing said subscriber ID and said
additional profile data.
411. The system of claim 368, wherein said associated processing
device further includes a device for generating a plurality of data
display records for each plurality of data providers, each data
display record containing said profile data, said location ID and
said single data provider ID, and said display date and said
display time associated with said single data provider ID; and
wherein said storage device is operable to store said plurality of
data display records for said subscriber.
412. The system of claim 411, wherein said storage device comprises
at least a first storage device for storing said profile data, a
second storage device for storing said plurality of information and
a third storage device for storing said data provider ID, said
display date, said display time, said location ID and said
plurality of data display records.
413. The system of claim 368, wherein said associated processing
device includes:
a device for generating a plurality of data display records for
each of said plurality of data providers, each data display record
containing said profile data, said location ID and said single data
provider ID, and said display date and said display time associated
with said single data provider ID;
a local storage device for locally storing said plurality of data
display records for said each of said plurality of data providers;
and
a transmitter for transmitting said plurality of data display
records for said each of said plurality of data providers to said
storage device connected to said network.
414. The system of claim of 359, wherein said region selector is
operable to control said display device to display said additional
information in said second portion of said display device.
415. The system of claim 359, wherein said region selector is
operable to control said display device to display a request for
additional data to said subscriber in said second portion of said
display device; wherein said input device is operable to enter said
additional data by said subscriber; wherein said associated
processing device includes a reading said profile data
corresponding to said subscriber ID from said storage device and a
device for generating a packet containing said subscriber ID, said
profile data and said additional data; and wherein said storage
device is operable to store said packet.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to delivering information to the subscribers
on a communication network, more particularly to a technique for
dynamically delivering information to each active subscriber on the
network without interfering with the reception and display of their
selected data or program from the network.
In a typical communication network in which advertisements or other
information are delivered, such as a conventional cable television
network, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) and
the internet, the delivery of advertisements interferes with the
reception and/or display of subscribers' selected program or
data.
In a conventional cable television network and a conventional
on-demand video distribution system, the messages are incorporated
into the transmission data stream representing the program selected
by the subscriber. That is, the transmission and/or display of the
selected program is interrupted for commercial breaks.
In the internet, the information is downloaded ("pushed") on to the
subscriber's terminal such that the display of the pushed
information interferes with the display of the subscriber's
selected data. That is, the pushed information is placed on top of
the data (e.g., frames or page of data from a web site) that is
being currently displayed on the subscriber's terminal.
However, it is desirable to continuously display "pushed"
information, messages or advertisements simultaneously with the
subscriber's selected data or program wherein they do not interfere
with each other and are simultaneously viewable by the
subscriber.
Also, in a typical communication network, the information such as
advertisements are delivered to many subscribers indiscriminately.
This is disadvantageous for the subscribers because some
subscribers are subjected to advertisements in which they have no
interest. It is also disadvantageous to the advertisers because the
advertisers must pay to deliver the advertisement to a large
audience of subscribers including the subscribers they desire to
reach and the subscribers who have no interest in their
advertisement.
It is desirable to target information, such as messages,
announcements, advertisements, etc., to subscribers who are more
likely to be interested in such information and deliver that
information to only those selected subscribers.
Techniques have been proposed heretofore for selective distribution
of messages over communication networks, such as a conventional
cable television network and a conventional on-demand video
distribution system. In a conventional cable television network, an
addressable controller communicates with a plurality of subscriber
converters on the network. Each converter, i.e., set-top converter
box, is assigned as a member of a primary message group and may
also be assigned to one or more message subgroups. The messages are
input to the addressable controller for subsequent transmission to
a converter for display on a television receiver connected to that
converter. The head end tags the text messages with distribution
data defining at least one primary message group or message
subgroup to receive the message. Various primary groups are used to
segregate converters based on geographical area or distribution
hub, and subgroups are used to segregate subscribers into groups of
particular interest. The tagged text messages are transmitted over
the conventional cable television network together with broadcast
signals from network service providers on separate paths or
channels. A particular converter determines whether it is
authorized to receive the tagged text message. If it is determined
that this particular converter is authorized to receive the tagged
text message, the converter either immediately displays the tagged
text message by blocking the display of the broadcast signals on
the selected (tuned) channel or overlays alphanumeric characters
and/or graphics on top of the program being displayed on the
subscriber's television receiver.
In a conventional on-demand video distribution system, a technique
has been proposed in which commercial messages to be distributed
over the network contain embedded information identifying
categories of recipients for each message. A server, centrally
located on the network, selectively tags commercial messages with
the converter addresses of subscribers, satisfying the identifying
categories. The commercial messages are inserted into the video
signal associated with the video program selected by a particular
addressed converter (subscriber) and transmitted over the network
for receipt and display by a television receiver connected to that
addressed converter. The addressed converters receive and display
the commercials on their corresponding television receiver during
scheduled commercial breaks in the program. The addresses are
selected by the server based on information stored in a database
related to demographic and other information relating to the
household of the subscriber in comparison to the same information
relating to households which are actual customers of the product or
service which is a subject of the commercial.
However, it is desirable to continuously display the text messages
or commercials along with the program on the subscriber's
television receiver. The present invention proceeds upon the
desirability of continuously displaying the messages simultaneously
with the broadcast program in which the broadcast program and the
messages do not interfere with each other and are simultaneously
viewable by the subscriber.
Also, it is desirable to update the demographic information based
on viewing habits, purchasing behavior and the like because the
demographic information may become stale over time.
A customized information file is dynamically generated for each
active subscribers on the network in accordance with the
corresponding subscriber profile data stored in a database. Each
customized information file containing a plurality of addresses of
the information, e.g., messages, announcements, advertisements,
etc., are sent to the corresponding subscriber.
Each active subscriber terminal sequentially displays the
information located in the addresses found in its customized
information list.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an
apparatus and technique for delivering information to subscribers
on a communication network such that the information and the
subscriber's selected data is simultaneously viewable by the
subscriber.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and
technique as aforesaid, which additionally displays the information
without interfering with the reception and display of the
subscriber's selected data.
Additional object of the present invention is to provide a
technique for targeting information to subscribers who are more
likely to be interested in a particular information and delivering
that information to only those targeted (selected) subscribers.
Various other objects, advantages and features of the present
invention will become readily apparent from the ensuing detailed
description, and the novel features will be particularly pointed
out in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, a processing device connected to
a communication network continuously displays a sequence of
information received from a plurality of INFO sources
simultaneously with data selected from at least one data provider
on the network such that the sequence of information and the
selected data are simultaneously viewable by the subscriber.
Although the subscriber may select data from on or more data
providers, the subscriber cannot control the display of the
sequence of information.
In a preferred embodiment, the sequence of information is
continuously displayed without interfering with the display of the
selected data.
In accordance with yet another aspect of this invention, a sequence
of information is uniquely generated for each subscriber in
accordance with the subscriber's profile data. A processing device
associated with the subscriber continuously displays the sequence
of information simultaneously with data selected from at least one
data provider on the network such that the sequence of information
and the selected data are simultaneously viewable by the
subscriber. Although the subscriber may select data from on or more
data providers, the subscriber cannot control the display of the
sequence of information.
Preferably, the sequence of information is continuously displayed
in one portion of the monitor associated with the processing device
and the selected data is displayed in another portion of the
monitor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following detailed description, given by way of example, and
not intended to limit the present invention solely thereto, will
best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in
which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the incorporation of the present
invention in a world wide web (internet);
FIG. 2 is a block diagram representing an embodiment of a terminal
of FIG. 1 depicting the three portions of the monitor;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram representing an embodiment of an INFO
window and a browser window of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the incorporation of the present
invention in a cable television network;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a television
receiving apparatus of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an embodiment of the INFO window and a
program window of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention is readily implemented by presently available
communication apparatus and electronic components. The invention
finds ready application in virtually all commercial communication
networks, including but not limited to over-the-air broadcasts,
local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), intranet, world
wide web (internet), wired cable transmission systems and direct
satellite broadcast systems.
Turning now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a block diagram of a
computer network, specifically internet (world wide web), which
incorporates the present invention. An internet service provider
(ISP) server 110, INFO servers 120, INFO databases 121, a profile
database 122, subscriber terminals 130, data providers, such as an
IBM server 140 and a FORD server 150, a session usage server 210, a
name/password database 220, a session usage database 230, an INFO
display database 240, a clicked event server 250, a clicked event
database 260, a session log server 270, a primary session log
database 280, a profile server 285 and an additional profile
database 286 are connected to each other to form an internet 100.
It is appreciated that the internet contemplated in the present
invention is not limited to the internet shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is
merely a simplified representation of the internet and it is
appreciated that a numerous number of servers may be connected to
form the internet.
The individual subscriber terminal 130 includes a monitor 180 and
an input device 170 such as keyboard, mouse or like. Although not
described in detail, it will be appreciated that the terminal may
be a conventional
computer, such as an ibm-compatible personal computer (PC), a
network computer, an Apple Macintosh computer or like.
The profile data representing the demographic of the subscriber is
stored in the profile database 122. The profile data may comprise
home address, business address, length of residence, household
income, gender, age group, the frequency of internet or cable use,
but is not limited to such. It is appreciated that the profile data
may be supplied via a telephone to a representative of the internet
service provider, entered on the input device 170 of the subscriber
terminal 130, obtained from a questionnaire profile form completed
by the subscriber or by other comparable means. If the profile data
is entered on the input device 170 by the subscriber, the
subscriber terminal 130 transmits the profile data to the ISP
server 110. The profile data may be encrypted and compressed before
it is transmitted to the ISP server 110.
The ISP server 110 forwards and stores the received profile data in
the profile database 122. The ISP server 110 may also decrypt and
decompress the received profile data before storing the profile
data in the profile database 122. Also, from time to time,
additional demographic information may be requested from the
subscribers and this additional demographic information may be
stored with the profile data in the profile database 122 or
separately in the additional profile database 286.
If the additional profile data is entered on the input device 170
by the subscriber, the subscriber terminal 130 transmits the
additional profile data to the ISP server 110. The additional
profile data may be encrypted and compressed before it is
transmitted to the ISP server 110. The ISP server 110 forwards and
stores the received additional profile data in the additional
profile database 286 or the profile database 122. Alternatively,
the ISP server 110 may forward the additional profile data to the
profile server 285 which decrypts and decompresses the received
additional profile data, and stores the additional profile data in
the additional profile database 286.
The INFO servers 120 continuously transmit information, such as
advertisements, news, messages, web pages, data packets, stock
tickers, announcements, updates and like, to form a sequence of
information. It is appreciated that the information may comprise
but is not limited to texts, still pictures, moving pictures, video
and audio components, or a combination thereof. This sequence of
information is supplied to the ISP server 110 for distribution to
the subscribers. It is appreciated that the one or more INFO
servers may represent web channels, e.g., travel channel, weather
channel, etc. In such a case, the INFO servers 120 continuously
transmit information relating to travel or weather. It is also
appreciated that each INFO server 120 may include an INFO database
121 wherein the information for distribution is stored. In such a
case, each INFO server 120 retrieves the information from its
respective INFO database 121 and transmits the retrieved
information to the subscribers on the network.
Alternatively, the sequence of information is selected for each
subscriber in accordance with the subscriber's profile data which
may also include the additional profile data. That is, a sequence
of information is dynamically and individually generated for each
subscriber. For example, if an advertiser chooses to target its
advertisements to males under 40 years of age with annual incomes
exceeding $50,000, then these advertisements could be distributed
to only those subscribers satisfying these demographic
requirements. It is appreciated that a part or all of the
subscriber's profile data containing various demographic
information may be used to generate the sequence of
information.
Preferably, the ISP server 110 may retrieve a sequence of INFO IDs
or a sequence of INFO addresses from an INFO list database 125 for
distribution to the subscribers. The sequence of INFO IDs may
contain a list of INFO IDs uniquely identifying each information in
the sequence of information; INFO durations representing the length
of time each information is to be displayed to the subscribers,
e.g., display the information for 30 seconds; and display time
ranges representing the time of the day that each information is to
be displayed to the subscribers, e.g., display the information
within 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Additionally, the sequence of INFO
addresses may contain a list of addresses indicating the location
of each information in the INFO servers 120, INFO durations,
display time ranges. The ISP server 110 transmits the sequence of
INFO IDs or addresses to the subscriber terminals 130 which stores
the received sequence in a local storage device (not shown).
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
the ISP server 110 may generate a customized and individualized
sequence of INFO IDs or addresses for each subscriber in accordance
with the subscriber's profile data which may also include the
additional profile data. That is, a sequence of INFO IDs or
addresses is dynamically and individually generated for each
subscriber. It is appreciated that this sequence of INFO IDs or
addresses may be pre-generated for each subscriber during off-peak
hours and provided to the subscriber's terminal 130 when it
connects to the ISP server 110 or dynamically generated for each
subscriber when the subscriber's terminal successfully connects to
the ISP server 110. This customized sequence of INFO IDs or
addresses is then transmitted to the subscriber terminal 130
associated with that subscriber and to the session usage server 210
which stores the received sequence for that subscriber in the
session usage database 230.
The individual subscriber terminals or processing devices 130 then
reads the information located in these addresses or corresponding
to the INFO IDs and displays the read information as the sequence
of information for the INFO duration specified during the display
time ranges. In other words, these addresses may represent URLs
(uniform resource locators) or the like and the subscriber terminal
130 reads the web pages from the INFO servers 120 corresponding to
these URLs and displays them as the sequence of information from
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. For example, if a particular information has
INFO duration of 30 seconds, then each time this particular
information is displayed during the display time period (range),
the information is displayed for 30 seconds.
Also, the profile data may contain information relating to the
subscriber's time zone which can be used to generate the sequence
of information. For example, if a particular information has a
display time range of 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM and the current time is
9:00 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time), then this information would
not be provided to any U.S. subscribers in the EST time zone, but
would be supplied to U.S. subscribers in the Pacific time zone.
Individual subscriber terminals 130, i.e., authorized subscribers
to the ISP, are connected to the ISP server 110 by telephone lines
160, which can be constructed as ordinary telephone lines, ISDN
lines, or T1 lines. It is appreciated that the subscriber terminals
130 may be connected to the ISP server 110 by cables, which can be
constructed as either coaxial cables, optical fiber cables, or a
combination thereof. Also, it is appreciated that the connection
between the ISP server 110 and each subscriber terminal 130 may be
a wireless connection.
It is noted that only authorized subscribers, i.e., authorized
subscriber terminals 130, are permitted to be connected to the ISP
server 110 and unauthorized subscriber terminals are inhibited from
displaying the sequence of information received from the INFO
servers 120. Each subscriber is assigned a unique subscriber ID and
a password, which are stored in the name/password database 220 or
like accessible by the ISP server 110. Alternatively, each
subscriber terminal 130 may be assigned a unique subscriber ID and
a password.
The subscriber enters a subscriber ID and a password on the input
device 170 to initiate a connection between the subscriber terminal
130 and the ISP server 110. The subscriber terminal 130 transmits
the subscriber ID and the password to the ISP server 110 which
forwards them to the name/password database 220 for verification.
Preferably, the subscriber ID and the password is compressed and
encrypted using standard compression and encryption techniques
before it is transmitted to the ISP server 110. The name/password
database 220 decrypts and decompresses the compressed and encrypted
subscriber ID and the password before they are stored.
The name/password database 220 first determines whether the
received subscriber ID matches one of the stored subscriber IDs. If
a match is found for the subscriber ID, then the name/password
database 220 further determines whether received password matches
the stored password associated with that subscriber ID. If match is
also found for the password, then the subscriber is determined to
be an authorized subscriber, and the connection between the
subscriber terminal 130 and the ISP server 110 is established.
Additionally, the subscriber terminal 130 is categorized as an
authorized subscriber terminal and login information for that
authorized subscriber is generated and stored in the session usage
database 230 or like. It is appreciated that subscriber terminal
130 may store the login information in a local storage device (not
shown) before transmitting the login information to the session
usage database. The login information may comprise a login time and
a login date, but is not limited to such information. For example,
the login information may additionally contain a location ID,
information relating to the locality of that subscriber terminal
130. It is appreciated that the location ID may represent a zip
code, a telephone number, a country name or code, a state or
province name, or like. Alternatively, the login information may be
transmitted to the session usage server 210 which generates a
session usage record from the login information and stores the
session usage record in the session usage database 230. It is
appreciated that the session usage record may not necessarily
contain all the login information.
Also, it is appreciated that the login time and the login date may
be generated in accordance with a network system clock, thereby
ensuring accurate and uniform login information from the subscriber
terminals 130. The network system clock may reside in the ISP
server 110 or some other server on the internet 100. Accordingly,
the clock information of each subscriber terminal is not
overwritten with the network system clock information, but each
subscriber terminal time stamps the information to be transmitted
to the ISP server 110 based on the network system clock. That is,
each subscriber terminal 130 has a real time and a virtual time
based on the network system clock, and generates a virtual login
time and a virtual login date based on the network system
clock.
However, if no match is found for the subscriber ID or the
password, then the subscriber is determined to be an unauthorized
subscriber, and the connection is not established between the
subscriber terminal 130 and the ISP server 110. Additionally, the
subscriber terminal 130 is categorized as an unauthorized
subscriber terminal.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the subscriber also
selects an access phone number using the input device 170 to
initiate a connection between the subscriber terminal 130 and the
ISP server 110 using that access phone number. It is contemplated
that a phone database 225 connected to the internet 100 contains
all of the access phone numbers that can be used to connect to the
ISP server 110 along with the zip codes and time zones that are
associated with each access phone number. Additionally, a
pre-assigned zip code is stored for each access phone number in the
phone database 225.
Once the connection has been successfully established between the
subscriber terminal 130 and the ISP server 110 using the selected
access phone number, the ISP server 110 requests zip code
information of the subscriber terminal 130 from the name/password
database 220. The received zip code is forwarded to the phone
database 225 to determine whether the received zip code is
associated with the entered access phone number. If it is
determined that the received zip code is associated with the
selected access phone number, then the subscriber is presumed to be
logging in from his/her home and the received zip code is used as a
location zip code. However, if it is determined that the received
zip code is not associated with the selected access phone number,
then the subscriber is presumed to be logging in from a remote
location and the pre-assigned zip code associated with the selected
access phone number is used as the location zip code.
It is appreciated that the access phone number and the location zip
code of the subscriber, and the time zone corresponding to the
location zip code of the subscriber can also be used to generate
the sequence of information for that subscriber. For example, if a
particular information has a display time range of 6:00 PM to 8:00
PM and the current time is 9:00 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time),
then this information would not be provided to any U.S. subscribers
in the EST time zone, but would be supplied to U.S. subscribers in
the Mountain and Pacific time zones. This will advantageously
permit the advertisers to target their advertisements based on the
geographic location of the subscriber to consider regional
preferences. That is, advertisers may want to use one advertisement
for people in the east coast and another advertisement for people
in the west coast.
The authorized subscriber enters an URL on the input device 170 to
request a web page from the host server (or data provider) on the
internet 100. It is appreciated that each host server on the
internet is uniquely identified by a host server name which is
referred hereinafter as a data provider ID. For example, to request
a web page from the IBM server 140 on the internet 100, the
authorized subscriber enters the following URL,
"http://www.ibm.com", on the input device 170. The subscriber
terminal 130 supplies the requested URL to the ISP server 110. It
is appreciated that the requested URLs received from the
unauthorized subscriber terminals are rejected by the ISP server
110 and not forwarded to the host server. This effectively inhibits
the unauthorized subscriber terminals from displaying the web page
from the host server.
The ISP server 110 retransmits the request for a web page from the
authorized subscriber terminals 130 to the IBM server 140 via the
internet 100. In response to the request, the IBM server 140
supplies the requested web page to the ISP server 110. The ISP
server 110 then retransmits the web page to the appropriate
subscriber terminal 130.
The subscriber terminal 130 continuously displays on the monitor
180 the sequence of information simultaneously with the requested
web page received from the IBM server 140 via the ISP server 110.
It is contemplated that the sequence of information and the
requested web page are displayed on the monitor 180 such that they
are simultaneously viewable by the subscriber.
Preferably, the display of the sequence of information on the
monitor 180 does not interfere with the display of the requested
web page. In such a scheme, the sequence of information may be
displayed in a first portion of the monitor 180 and the requested
web page in a second portion of the monitor 180. For simplicity,
the two portions of the monitor 180 will be referred hereinafter as
a browser window 190 and an INFO window 200 as depicted in FIG. 2.
Accordingly, the sequence of information is displayed in the INFO
window 200 and the requested web page is displayed in the browser
window 190. It is appreciated that each information in the sequence
is displayed on the INFO window 200 for the assigned INFO duration,
e.g., first information may be displayed for 30 seconds, second
information for 15 seconds, etc.
Alternatively, the monitor 180 may be divided into three portions,
namely the browser window 190, the INFO window 200 and a navigation
window 290. The navigation window may include clickable buttons
291, channel button 292 to select preferred channels, locator field
293, a GO button 294, a back button 295 to move to previous web
page, a forward button 296 to move to the next web page, a home
button 297 to retrieve the subscriber's selected home page, a
preference button 298 to enter, modify and update the subscriber's
profile data and a logo button 299 to connect a pre-assigned web
page. It is appreciated that more buttons providing different
functions and features may be incorporated into the navigation
window 290.
The subscriber may use the preference button 298 to select the
preferred system attributes such as the preferred home page, the
display settings, the modem settings, the memory allocation or the
like. Also, the
preference button 298 may be used to modify passwords, access phone
numbers or the like.
The URL entered by the authorized subscriber on the input device
170 to request a web page from the host server appears on the
locator field 293. Instead of entering the complete URL, the user
may instead enter an incomplete URL by simply entering the host
name of the desired host server with or without the name of the
domain, and press the GO button 294. The present invention
contextually determines the remaining (or missing) components of
the incomplete URL to form a complete URL. That is, if the
subscriber enters "ibm.com," the subscriber terminal 130
contextually determines the complete URL as "http://www.ibm.com"
and supplies the complete URL to the ISP server 110.
However, if the subscriber simply enters "ibm," then the subscriber
terminal 130 first determines the appropriate domain of the host
server "ibm" and then contextually determines the complete URL. It
is noted that currently the following domains exist in the internet
for the United States: com, gov, edu, org, and net. For other
countries, these domains are followed by country code, such as
org.kr for Korea and org.de for Germany. It is also noted that the
host servers are distributed between these various domains, thus
the subscriber terminal 130 determines the appropriate domain based
on the probability distribution of the host servers in a particular
domain. That is, the subscriber terminal 130 determines the
probability of finding the entered host server in these various
domains and then selects the one with the highest probability. If
it is determined that the host server does not reside in the
selected domain, the subscriber terminal 130 selects another domain
having the next highest probability until the domain is found for
the entered host server.
Each of the clickable buttons 291 corresponds to one component of
the URL, such as "http.//", "www.", ".com", ".net" and the like as
shown in FIG. 2. Instead of simply entering the host name, the
subscriber may enter the host name and click one or more clickable
buttons 291 for the missing components of the URL, and the
subscriber terminal 130 contextually determines the appropriate
URL. For example, if the subscriber enters "ibm" and clicks the
"http://" button, the subscriber terminal 130 contextually
determines the complete URL as "http://www.ibm.com" for the IBM web
site. If the subscriber clicks the ".gov" button and enters "irs",
the subscriber terminal 130 contextually determines the complete
URL as "http://www.irs.gov" for the IRS web site. It is appreciated
that the components of the URL need not be entered in its proper
sequential order. Regardless of the order the URL components are
entered, the present invention contextually determines the complete
URL in its proper sequential order.
Also, the INFO window 200 may include unlinked regions 202 and
linked regions 201 such as "Corporate News", "Merchandise", "New
Products" or "Order Now" as shown in FIG. 2. Each of the linked
regions 201 may be linked to a host server (a data provider) on the
internet 100. The subscriber may click one of the linked regions
201 to receive additional information relating to corporate news,
merchandise, new products or to place an order. For example, if the
subscriber clicks the linked region 201 labeled "Corporate News" in
FIG. 2, the subscriber terminal 130 will be connected to the
Coca-Cola corporate news web page containing corporate news
information which will be displayed on the browser window 190.
Alternatively, if the subscriber clicks the linked region 201
labeled "Corporate News," the subscriber may receive this
additional information via e-mail, fax, mail or like. Preferably,
the additional information displayed in the browser window 190 may
depend on the subscriber's profile data. For example, if the
subscriber checks on the linked region 201 labeled "New Products"
to receive additional information on the latest golf gloves, the
subscriber terminal 130 may request the subscriber's profile data
from the profile database 122 to determine whether the subscriber
is left-handed or right-handed. If it is determined that the
subscriber is left-handed then only golf-gloves for left-handed
people are displayed in the browser window 190. It is appreciated
that the linked regions 201 are not limited to those depicted in
FIG. 2 and other linked regions are contemplated in the present
invention.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, if the subscriber clicks one of the
linked regions 201 of the INFO window 200, a pop-up window, a
pull-down menu or like may appear in the browser window wherein the
subscriber may be requested to complete a questionnaire form or
provide requested data to receive the additional information. For
example, the subscriber may be requested to provide an e-mail
address, street address, fax number or the like to receive
additional information. It is appreciated that the subscriber may
provide another person's e-mail address so that the other person
may receive the additional information via e-mail. Also, it is
appreciated that the requested data may be retrieved from the
profile database 122 and displayed in the browser window 190. The
subscriber may accept (confirm) this retrieved data or modify the
data so as to provide the additional information to another person.
After the requested data is either entered or selected by the
subscriber, the subscriber terminal 130 transmits the requested
data or completed questionnaire form to the ISP server 110.
Preferably, the ISP server 110 transmits the completed
questionnaire form or the requested data to the profile server 285
to store or update the subscriber's additional profile information
in the additional profile database 286. Alternatively, the ISP
server 110 retrieves the profile data associated with the
subscriber from the profile database 122 and transmits the
completed questionnaire form along with the subscriber ID and the
subscriber's profile data to the profile server 285. The profile
server 285 then stores or updates the subscriber's additional
profile information in the additional profile database 286. It is
appreciated that this advantageously permits the present invention
to provide a mechanism for interactive communication between the
subscriber and the INFO provider. Also, other means of providing
the requested data are contemplated such as a radio button for
exclusive selections, check boxes for multiple selections and
like.
It is appreciated that although the subscriber cannot control the
display of the sequence of information on the INFO window 200 of
the monitor 180, the subscriber can select another web page to be
displayed on the browser window 190 by entering another URL such as
"http://www.ford.com" on the input device 170. The display of the
web page from the IBM server 140 on the browser window 190 is
replaced with the web page from the FORD server 150. That is, the
requested web page received from the FORD server 150 is now
displayed in the browser window 190 without affecting the display
of the INFO window 200.
Alternatively, the contents of the INFO window 200, each
information in the sequence of information, can be characterized as
an unsolicited request for a web page (data) from one of the host
servers, such as the IBM server 140. In other words, the materials
displayed on the browser window 190 represent solicited web pages
requested by the subscriber, whereas the materials displayed on the
INFO window 200 represent unsolicited web pages not requested by
the subscriber. Essentially, without informing the subscriber, the
subscriber terminal 130 automatically transmits an URL to request a
web page to be displayed on the INFO window 200 from a host
server.
Preferably, the host servers may be divided into two groups,
wherein each group of servers accepts only one type of requests.
That is, the first group of servers may accept only solicited
request for web pages and the second group accepts only unsolicited
request for web pages. Any solicited request for web pages from the
second group of servers is denied and the browser window 190 may
display a message such as "requested URL unavailable".
When the connection between the subscriber terminal 130 and the ISP
server 110 is determined to be terminated, the ISP server 110
generates logout information and stores the information in the
session usage database 230. It is appreciated that the subscriber
terminal may store the logout information in the local storage
device (not shown) before transmitting the logout information to
the session usage database 230. The logout information may comprise
a logout time and a logout date, but is not limited to such
information. Alternatively, each subscriber terminal 130 may
generate the logout information if the connection between the
subscriber terminal 130 and the ISP server 110 is terminated by the
subscriber. It is appreciated that each subscriber terminal 130 may
generate the logout time and the logout date using the virtual
clock rather than its internal clock to ensure accurate and uniform
logout information.
Alternatively, the ISP server 110 transmits the logout information
to the session usage server 210. The session usage server 210
generates session duration information as a function of the
subscriber's stored login date, the subscriber's stored login time,
the received logout date and the received logout time. The session
usage server 210 updates the session usage record of the subscriber
in response to the received logout date, the received logout time
and the session duration information, and stores the updated
session usage record in the session usage database 230. The updated
session usage record of the subscriber may be used along with the
subscriber's profile data to select the sequence of information for
the subscriber. That is, the data generated from the current
session for the subscriber may be used to generate the sequence of
information for the next session. It is noted that the current
session implies the subscriber's current connection to the ISP
server 110.
It is appreciated that the subscriber terminal 130 may be
disconnected from the ISP server 110 due to faulty connection,
hardware and software problems, power outage, etc. Preferably, to
account for such disconnections, each subscriber terminal 130
generates a ping signal every predetermined interval, e.g., every
5, 10 or 15 minutes, and transmits the ping signal to the ISP
server 110. It is appreciated that the ping signal may include
information identifying the source of the ping signal, such as the
subscriber ID.
The ISP server 110 forwards the ping signal to the session usage
database 230. It is contemplated that the session usage database
230 stores information relating to the expected time of the next
ping signal for each subscriber. When a subscriber terminal 130
successfully connects to the ISP server 110, the session usage
database 230 sets the expected time of the next ping signal for
that subscriber to the current time plus a multiple number of the
predetermined ping signal interval. That is, upon the receipt of
login information from a subscriber terminal 130, the session usage
database 230 sets the expected time of the next ping signal for
that subscriber.
If a ping signal is received substantially within the expected time
from a subscriber terminal 130, then the session usage database 230
updates the expected time of the next ping signal for that
subscriber. Preferably, the ISP server 110 may transmit the ping
signal to the session usage server 210 which forwards the ping
signal to the session usage database 230 for processing and
storage. However, if a ping signal is not received substantially
within the expected time from that subscriber terminal 130, then
the connection between that subscriber terminal 130 and the ISP
server 110 is presumed to be terminated. Preferably, the session
usage server 210 transmits a disconnect signal to the ISP server
110 to disconnect that subscriber terminal 130 from the ISP server
110. The session usage server 210 also generates and transmits the
logout information for that subscriber to the session usage
database 230 for storage. It is appreciated that the disconnect
signal and logout information may be generated by the ISP server
110 and transmitted to the session database 230 for storage.
It is appreciated that for transmission efficiency and security the
ping signal may be encrypted and compressed using standard
encryption and compression techniques before it is transmitted to
the ISP server 110. In such a scenario, the session usage server
210 decrypts and decompresses the ping signal before updating the
expected time of the next ping signal.
Since the information displayed to the subscribers may represent
advertisements, it may be important to keep track of what
advertisements were transmitted and displayed to the subscribers.
This information may be used to directly determine the number of
people who viewed a particular advertisement. It is appreciated
that this is comparable to Nielsen's or Arbitron's rating scheme
for television and radio, except that the present technique
provides a more precise and detailed measurement of the viewing
habits of the subscribers. That is, the present technique
advantageously permits a more accurate demographic profile to be
developed for each subscriber, thereby enabling the advertisers to
selectively target their advertisements with greater precision.
Accordingly, for each subscriber, the present invention determines
which information in the sequence of information was displayed to
that subscriber based on the INFO durations and the subscriber's
session usage record stored in the session usage database 230.
Specifically, the subscriber's stored session duration information
or the subscriber's stored login time, stored login date, stored
logout time and stored logout date of the subscriber's session
usage record may be used to determine which information was
displayed on the subscriber terminal 130. The result of this
determination may be compiled as a list to provide a list of
displayed information. This list of displayed information is then
stored in an INFO display database 240 or the like. It is
appreciated that this list of displayed information for each
subscriber may be a list of INFO IDs and INFO durations
corresponding to the information that was displayed to that
subscriber.
The list of displayed information for each subscriber may
additionally contain the subscriber ID and information relating to
the display date and display time that a particular information in
that list of displayed information was displayed to that
subscriber. It is appreciated that the display date and the display
time information may be derived from the INFO durations and the
subscriber's session usage record stored in the session usage
database 230, namely from subscriber's login time, login date,
logout time and logout date.
The list of displayed information for each subscriber may further
contain information relating to the locality of that subscriber
terminal 130, namely the location ID. Alternatively, the list of
displayed information for each subscriber may be transmitted to the
session usage server 210 which generates an INFO display record for
each INFO ID in that list of displayed information and stores the
INFO display record in the INFO display database 240. It is
appreciated that the session usage server 210 may not necessarily
use all of the information contained in the list of displayed
information to generate the INFO display record. Also, the INFO
display record of the subscriber may be used along with the
subscriber's profile data to select the sequence of information for
the subscriber. That is, the information displayed to the
subscriber in his/her current session may be used to generate the
sequence of information for the next session.
In addition, for each displayed information, the present invention
keeps track of all of the linked regions 201 selected (or clicked)
by each subscriber during the display of that information to
provide a linked region ID. This information may be used to
determine the subscriber's interest in a particular product,
company, channel or like, providing a more accurate information on
the viewing habits of the subscriber. Also, this information may be
used to develop a targeted advertising strategy, where the
advertisers can determine the subscribers who are more likely to be
interested in receiving such information. It is appreciated that
since each linked region 201 is connected to a particular host
server, each linked region ID may represent a selected host server
ID (or a selected data provider ID).
If it is determined that at least one linked region 201 has been
selected by a subscriber, the subscriber terminal 130 associated
with that subscriber generates and transmits a clicked event report
packet to the ISP server 110. It is appreciated that the subscriber
terminal 130 may
store the clicked event report packet in the local storage device
(not shown) before transmitting the clicked event report packet to
the ISP server 110. The clicked event report packet may contain the
subscriber ID of the subscriber terminal 130, the displayed INFO ID
of the displayed information, the selected data provider ID
corresponding to the clicked linked region 201, the date and time
the information was displayed on the subscriber terminal 130 to
provide the display date and the display time of the displayed
information, and the location ID defining the locality of the
subscriber terminal 130. It is appreciated that the subscriber
terminal 130 may generate the display date and display time using
the virtual clock rather than its internal clock to ensure accurate
and uniform information. Also, it is appreciated that the clicked
event report packet may be encrypted and compressed before it is
transmitted to the ISP server 110 for transmission efficiency and
security purposes.
The ISP server 110 forwards and stores the received clicked event
report packet in the clicked event database 260. Alternatively, the
ISP server 110 may forward the clicked event report packet to the
clicked event server 250 which decrypts and decompresses the
received clicked event report packet, and generates a clicked event
record. The clicked event record is then stored in the clicked
event database 260. It is appreciated that the clicked event server
250 may not necessarily use all of the information in the clicked
event report packet to generate the clicked event record. Also, the
clicked event record of the subscriber may be used along with the
subscriber's profile data to select the sequence of information for
the subscriber. That is, the information selected by the subscriber
in his/her current session may be used to generate the sequence of
information for the next session.
Further, it may be advantageous to keep track of the web sites
(host servers) visited by the subscriber to develop a more precise
profile on each subscriber. Thereby, enabling the advertisers to
better select their target audience (subscribers) for their
promotions, advertisements and like.
Accordingly, for each subscriber, the present invention determines
all the host servers selected by that subscriber and stores the
corresponding data provider IDs in the primary session log database
280. It is appreciated that each time a requested web page (data)
is successfully retrieved from the host server and displayed on the
browser window 190, the subscriber terminal 130 associated with
that subscriber may generate and transmit a session log packet to
the ISP server 110. It is appreciated that the subscriber terminal
130 may store the session log packet in the local storage device
(not shown) before transmitting the session log packet to the ISP
server 110. The session log packet may contain the subscriber ID of
the subscriber terminal 130, the data provider ID of the host
server selected by the subscriber, the date and time the requested
web page was displayed on the subscriber terminal 130 to provide
the display date and the display time of the requested web page,
and the location ID defining the locality of the subscriber
terminal 130. Also, it is appreciated that the subscriber terminal
130 may generate the display date and display time using the
virtual clock rather than its internal clock to ensure accurate and
uniform information. Further, it is appreciated that the session
log packet may be encrypted and compressed before it is transmitted
to the ISP server 110.
The ISP server 110 forwards and stores the received session log
packet in the primary session log database 280. Alternatively, the
ISP server 110 may forward the session log packet to the session
log server 270 which decrypts and decompresses the received session
log packet, and generates a primary data display record. The
primary data display record is then stored in the primary session
log database 280.
Also, the session log server 270 may retrieve the profile data from
the profile database 122 using the subscriber ID and additionally
generate a secondary data display record substituting the
subscriber ID information in the primary data display record with
the profile data information associated with that subscriber ID.
The secondary data display record is then stored in the secondary
session log database 281. That is, the session log server 270 may
combine information from the different databases to generate a
customized record. For example, a record may be created to provide
viewing habits of subscribers belonging to a particular demographic
group such as single female under 30 with annual income exceeding
$100,000 living in Florida. It is appreciated that the session log
server 270 may not necessarily use all of the information in the
session log packet to generate the primary and secondary data
display records.
Further, the data display record of the subscriber may be used
along with the subscriber's profile data to select the sequence of
information for the subscriber. That is, the web site visited by
the subscriber in his/her current session may be used to generate
the sequence of information for the next session.
Turning now to FIG. 4, there is illustrated a block diagram of a
cable television network which incorporates the present invention.
The apparatus illustrated in FIG. 4 may be included in a set-top
converter, a television receiver, a video recorder or other
conventional apparatus typically used to receive and cause the
display of television pictures. A broadcasting station 300
transmits broadcasting signals to a satellite 310 (for example, a
broadcasting or communication satellite). These broadcasting
signals are retransmitted to head-ends 320 disposed in individual
service areas, each of which may contain an antenna to receive the
broadcasting signals, a receiving amplifier, an image source input
portion (if necessary), a modulator to modulate the received
broadcasting signals, and a multiplexer to multiplex the output of
the modulator before it is output to a transmission line.
Individual homes 330, i.e., subscribers to the cable television
system, are connected to a single head-end 320 by a cable 340,
which can be constructed as either a coaxial cable, an optical
fiber cable, or a combination thereof. For simplicity, the head-end
320 that a particular home 330 (or a particular television
receiving apparatus 350) is connected to is referred to hereinafter
as the associated head-end 320. The cable 340 is connected in a
tree shape or in a star shape. It is appreciated that the
individual homes 330 may be connected to head-end 320 via wireless
connection, satellite connection or like. A subscriber of the cable
television system (home 330) is provided with a processing device
such as a television receiving apparatus 350, which contains a
tuner 390 for permanently tuning to information channels
broadcasting the sequence of information and selectively tuning to
a desired broadcast channel. It is appreciated that the tuner 390
may comprise multiple tuners such that one tuner may be used to
tune to the desired broadcast channel and other tuners may be used
to tune to the information channels. The received broadcast signals
which constitute the program received from the broadcasting station
300 are supplied to a monitor 370 (FIG. 5) whereat it is displayed
to the viewer (i.e., members of subscriber's household). It will be
appreciated that the monitor 370 includes the usual video
processing circuitry normally provided in television receiving
apparatus or high definition television (HDTV) to permit a
television picture (and accompanying audio information) to be
displayed to a viewer.
The cable television network according to the present invention is
not limited to the cable television network shown in FIG. 4. For
example, a plurality of program providers (i.e., data providers)
can transmit programs and a plurality of INFO servers 360 can
transmit information such as advertisements and like to the
satellite 310. A cable television station may be interposed between
the satellite 310 and the head-ends 320 to receive broadcasting
signals from the satellite 310 and relay those signals to the
head-ends by optical fiber cables. Each head end is connected to
homes of authorized subscribers by optical fiber cables or coaxial
cables. In addition, the present invention may be applied to a
video image communication system such as a TV conference system, a
satellite communication system or like.
The broadcasting signal generated in the head-end 320 contains a
plurality of broadcast channels (i.e., data providers) which are
encoded for example using motion compensated interframe prediction
coding techniques. Highly efficient encoders are utilized in the
head-end 320 (not shown) in accordance with the MPEG (Moving
Picture Experts Group) or MPEG2 system that has been adopted by the
ISO (international Organization for Standardization). The encoded
broadcast signals may be time-division multiplexed into a packet,
which is digitally modulated, for example, using a PSK modulation
technique.
Turning to FIG. 5, the television receiving apparatus 350 may be
included in a set-top converter, a television receiver or other
conventional apparatus typically used to receive and cause the
display of television pictures. An input device 450 is adapted to
receive input from the subscriber. For example, the input device
450 may be used by the subscriber to respond to a query from the
cable system provider, to request modification to the existing
service such as adding or deleting a premium channel, etc.
A remote control unit 440 is adapted to transmit conventional
control signals to the television receiving apparatus for
controlling various functions such as channel selection, volume
control, brightness, contrast, color adjustments, etc. Such control
signals may be transmitted by infra-red transmission; and in that
event the remote control unit includes an IR transmitter (not
shown) and the television receiving apparatus includes a remote IR
receiver 430. Alternatively, remote control unit 440 and remote IR
receiver 430 may be omitted and the aforementioned control signals
may be generated simply by operating corresponding controls
directly on the television receiving apparatus (e.g., channel
selector 420, a volume adjustment button, a picture control button
and the like).
The control signals, whether received by remote IR receiver 430 or
generated by control elements provided directly on the television
receiving apparatus, such as channel selector 420, are coupled to a
microprocessor 410 which controls the operation of a tuner 390 to
tune to a selected television channel received at the input of the
tuner. For example, the microprocessor may control tuner 390 to
tune to a particular broadcast frequency over which a television
program is transmitted. Alternatively, the microprocessor 410 may
control tuner 390 to tune to a particular digital channel (as in
direct satellite broadcast transmission) over which the television
program is transmitted. The video signals which constitute the
television program broadcast over the selected channel are supplied
to the monitor 370 whereat they are displayed to the subscriber. It
will be appreciated that the monitor 370 includes the usual video
processing circuitry normally provided in television receiving
apparatus to permit a television picture (and accompanying audio
information) to be displayed to a viewer. The foregoing operation
is typical of television receiving apparatus.
Although not described in detail, it will be appreciated that the
microprocessor may be a conventional microprocessor, such as a
relatively inexpensive, small eight-bit controller or a powerful,
high-speed microprocessor for example, a "486"-type microprocessor
or Pentium microprocessor manufactured by Intel Corp.
Returning to FIG. 4, each head-end 320 may also include a profile
database 325, wherein the profile data representing the demographic
of the subscriber is stored. As stated hereinabove with respect to
the internet, the profile data may comprise home address, business
address, length of residence, household income, gender, age group,
the frequency of internet or cable use, but is not limited to such.
The profile data may be supplied via a telephone to a
representative of the cable television system, entered on the input
device 450 of the television receiving apparatus 350, obtained from
a questionnaire profile form completed by the subscriber or by
other comparable means. If the profile data is entered on the input
device 450 by the subscriber, the television receiving apparatus
350 transmits the profile data to the associated head-end 320 via
the cable 340 or a dedicated channel or a data link 341. It is
appreciated that the profile data may be encrypted and compressed
before it is transmitted to the associated head-end 320.
The head-end 320 decrypts and decompresses the receive profile
data, and forwards the decrypted and decompressed profile data to
profile database 325 for storage. Alternatively, the decrypted and
decompressed profile data may be stored in a central profile
database (not shown) which is accessible by each head-end 320.
Also, from time to time, additional demographic information may be
requested from the subscribers and these additional demographic
information may be stored with the profile data in the profile
database 325 or separately in the additional profile database
326.
If the additional profile data is entered on the input device 450
by the subscriber, the television receiving apparatus 350 transmits
the additional profile data to the associated head-end 320. The
additional profile data may be encrypted and compressed before it
is transmitted to the television receiving apparatus 350. The
head-end 320 decrypts and decompresses the received additional
profile data, and stores the additional profile data in the
additional profile database 326 or the profile database 325.
Excluding the information channel, each broadcast channel contains
a plurality of programs which are encoded so that only authorized
subscribers of the cable television system may receive the
broadcast programs. The information channel contains a plurality of
information, such as advertisements, news, messages, announcements,
updates and like, which are continuously broadcasted to the
subscribers of the cable television system to form a sequence of
information. The information may comprise but is not limited to
texts, still pictures, moving pictures, video and audio components,
or a combination thereof. It is appreciated that information from
numerous information channels may be multiplexed and distributed to
the subscribers. The encoding technique normally depends on each
channel.
In accordance with the present invention, the information channel
may receive a plurality of information from the INFO servers 360.
Each INFO server may include a storage device 365 or like. The
information to be broadcasted on the information channel is first
retrieved from the respective storage device 365 and supplied to
the information channel for distribution to the subscribers.
Alternatively, the sequence of information is selected for each
subscriber in accordance with the subscriber's profile data which
may also include the additional profile data. That is, a sequence
of information is dynamically and individually generated for each
subscriber. For example, if an advertiser chooses to target its
advertisements to single females under 30 years of age with annual
incomes exceeding $50,000, then these advertisements could be
distributed to only those subscribers satisfying these demographic
requirements. As stated hereinabove with respect to the internet, a
part or all of the subscriber's profile data containing various
demographic information may be used to generate the sequence of
information.
As stated hereinabove with respect to the internet, for each
information in the sequence, the respective storage device 365 may
contain the INFO duration representing the length of time the
information is to be displayed to the subscribers, e.g., display
the information for 30 seconds; and the display time range
representing the time of the day that the information is to be
displayed to the subscribers, e.g., display the information within
7:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Accordingly, each INFO server 360 may transmit
only those information satisfying the display time range
requirements of the information as a part of the sequence of
information to a particular subscriber. The sequence of information
is selected for each subscriber based on the subscriber's profile
data and the display time range of the information. In other words,
the microprocessor 410 (FIG. 5) controls the tuner 390 (FIG. 5) to
tune to a particular INFO channel to receive the sequence of
information selected for that subscriber. It is appreciated that
each subscriber may be categorized into
groups based on the subscriber's profile data and each INFO channel
is associated with a particular group.
Also, the profile data may contain information relating to the
subscriber's time zone which can be used to generate the sequence
of information. For example, if a particular information has a
display time range of 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM and the current time is
9:00 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time), then this information would
not be provided to any subscribers in the EST time zone, but would
be supplied to subscribers in the Mountain and Pacific time
zones.
Preferably, as stated hereinabove with respect to the ISP server
110 (FIG. 1), the associated head-end 320 may retrieve a sequence
of INFO IDs from an INFO list database 327 for distribution to the
subscribers. The sequence of INFO IDs may contain a list of the
INFO IDs uniquely identifying each information in the sequence of
information; the INFO durations representing the length of time
each information is to be displayed to the subscribers; and display
time ranges representing the time of the day that each information
is to be displayed to the subscribers. The associated head-end 320
may transmit the sequence of INFO IDs to the television receiving
apparatus 350 which stores the received sequence in a local storage
device 415 (FIG. 5).
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the associated head-end 320 may generate a customized
and individualized sequence of INFO IDs for each subscriber in
accordance with the subscriber's profile data which may also
include the additional profile data. That is, a sequence of INFO
IDs is dynamically and individually generated for each subscriber.
It is appreciated that this sequence of INFO IDs may be
pre-generated for each subscriber during off-peak hours and
provided to the subscriber's television receiving apparatus 350
when it is "turn on" or dynamically generated for each subscriber
as part of the "logging in" process, i.e., when the television
receiving apparatus "turns on" to connect to the cable network.
This customized sequence of INFO IDs is then transmitted to the
television receiving apparatus 350 associated with that subscriber.
The television receiving apparatus 350 stores the received sequence
of INFO IDs in the local storage device 415 (FIG. 5).
The microprocessor 410 (FIG. 5) of the television receiving
apparatus 350 may request information corresponding to stored INFO
IDs over the dedicated channel or data link 341 from the associated
head-end 320 to which the television receiving apparatus 350. It is
appreciated that the request for information may include more than
one INFO ID and the subscriber ID of the television receiving
apparatus 350. The associated head-end 320 forwards the request to
the INFO server 360 which retrieves the requested information
corresponding to the INFO ID from the storage device 365. The
requested information is then transmitted to the associated
head-end 320 for distribution to the requesting television
receiving apparatus 350. The associated head-end 320 transmits the
requested information to the television receiving apparatus 350 via
the dedicated channel or data link 341. The microprocessor 410
stores the requested information in a local storage device 415 and
supplies the requested information to the monitor 370 to be
displayed to the subscriber. It is appreciated that the
microprocessor 410 may request and store the information in advance
from the associated head-end 320 in the local storage device 415
such that the information to be displayed is always available from
the local storage device 415.
Alternatively, the associated head-end 320 may retrieve a sequence
of channel IDs from an INFO list database 327 for distribution to
the subscribers. The sequence of channel IDs may contain a list of
the channel IDs uniquely identifying the information channel
wherein the information may be received from the associated
head-end 320 and the INFO durations representing the length of time
the information receivable on each information channel
corresponding to the channel IDs is to be displayed to the
subscribers. The associated head-end 320 may transmit the sequence
of channel IDs to the television receiving apparatus 350 which
stores the received sequence in a local storage device 415 (FIG.
5).
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present
invention, the associated head-end 320 may generate a customized
and individualized sequence of channel IDs for each subscriber in
accordance with the subscriber's profile data which may also
include the additional profile data. That is, a sequence of channel
IDs is dynamically and individually generated for each subscriber.
It is appreciated that this sequence of channel IDs may be
pre-generated for each subscriber during off-peak hours and
provided to the subscriber's television receiving apparatus 350
when it is "turn on" or dynamically generated for each subscriber
as part of the "logging in" process, i.e., when the television
receiving apparatus "turns on" to connect to the cable network.
This customized sequence of channel IDs is then transmitted to the
television receiving apparatus 350 associated with that subscriber
and to a session usage server 510 which stores the received
sequence for that subscriber in the session usage database 515. The
television receiving apparatus 350 stores the received sequence of
channel IDs in the local storage device 415 (FIG. 5).
The microprocessor 410 of the subscriber's television receiving
apparatus 350 may control the tuner 390 (FIG. 5) to tune to the
information channels corresponding to stored channel IDs to receive
the information selected for that subscriber. That is, the tuner
390 sequentially tunes to the information channel corresponding to
each stored channel ID for the INFO duration specified for that
information channel.
It is noted that only authorized subscribers, i.e., authorized
television receiving apparatus 350, are permitted to be connected
to the head-end 320 and unauthorized television receiving apparatus
350 are inhibited from displaying the sequence of information
received from the INFO servers 360 and the program receivable on
the broadcast channels.
As described hereinabove with respect to the internet, the login
information is generated when authorized television receiving
apparatus 350 "turns on" to receive programs from the associated
head-end 320 (or connects to the associated head-end 320). The
login information is stored in a session usage database 515 or
like. The login information may comprise the login time and the
login date, but is not limited to such information. For example,
the login information may additionally contain a location ID,
information relating to the locality of that television receiving
apparatus 350. It is appreciated that the location ID may represent
a zip code, a telephone number, a country name or code, a state or
province name, or like. Alternatively, the login information may be
transmitted to the session usage server 510 which generates the
session usage record from the login information and stores the
session usage record in the session usage database 515. It is
appreciated that the session usage record may not necessarily
contain all the login information.
Also, it is appreciated that the login time and the login date may
be generated in accordance with a network system clock, thereby
ensuring accurate and uniform login information from the television
receiving apparatus 350. The network system clock may reside in the
head-ends 320 or some other server on the satellite 310.
Accordingly, the clock information of each television receiving
apparatus 350 is not overwritten with the network system clock
information, but each television receiving apparatus 350 stamps the
information to be transmitted to the associated head-end 320 based
on the network system clock. That is, each television receiving
apparatus 350 has a real time and a virtual time based on the
network system clock, and generates a virtual login time and a
virtual login date based on the network system clock.
It is appreciated that the zip code and time zone of the subscriber
may also be used to generate the sequence of information for that
subscriber. For example, if a particular information has a display
time range of 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM and the current time is 9:00 PM
EST (Eastern Standard Time), then this information would not be
provided to any U.S. subscribers in the EST time zone, but would be
supplied to U.S. subscribers in the Mountain and Pacific time
zones. It is appreciated that U.S. subscribers in the EST time zone
will receive information having a display time range of 9:00 PM to
10:00 PM. This will advantageously permit the advertisers to target
their advertisements based on the geographic location of the
subscriber to consider regional preferences. That is, advertisers
may want to use one advertisement for people in the east coast and
another advertisement for people in the west coast. Also, it is
appreciated the time zone and the display time range information
may be used to insure that a particular advertisement is shown to
all U.S. subscribers only from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
The authorized subscriber selects (requests) a program to view by
selecting the desired broadcast channel using the remote control
unit 440 or the channel selector 420 on the television receiving
apparatus 350. In response, the microprocessor 410 controls the
tuner 390 to tune to a selected broadcast channel or a particular
broadcast frequency over which the requested program is
transmitted. The video signals which constitute the program
broadcast over the selected broadcast channel are supplied to the
monitor 370 whereat they are continuously displayed simultaneously
with the sequence of information. As stated hereinabove with
respect to the internet, the sequence of information and the
requested program are displayed on the monitor 370 such that they
are simultaneously viewable by the subscriber.
Preferably, the display of the sequence of information on the
monitor 370 does not interfere with the display of the requested
program. In such a scheme, the sequence of information may be
displayed in a first portion of the monitor 370 and the requested
program in a second portion of the monitor 370. For simplicity, the
two portions of the monitor 370 will be referred hereinafter as a
program or browser window 371 and an INFO window 372 as depicted in
FIG. 6. Accordingly, the sequence of information is displayed in
the INFO window 372 and the requested program is displayed in the
program window 371. It is appreciated that each information in the
sequence is displayed on the INFO window 372 for the assigned INFO
duration, e.g., first information may be displayed for 30 seconds,
second information for 15 seconds, etc.
As stated hereinabove with respect to the internet, the INFO window
372 may include unlinked regions 374 and linked regions 373 such as
"Preview Programs", "Merchandise", "New Products" or "Order Now" as
shown in FIG. 6. Each of the linked regions 373 may be linked to an
INFO server 360 or a broadcasting station 310 (a data provider) on
the satellite 310. The subscriber may click one of the linked
regions 373 to preview new programs, receive additional information
relating to merchandise and new products or to place an order. For
example, if the subscriber clicks the linked region 373 labeled
"Preview Programs" in FIG. 6, the television receiving apparatus
350 will be tuned to a broadcast channel or an INFO channel to
display the program receivable on that channel on the program
window 371. Additionally, the INFO window 372 may display a program
that is currently receivable on a broadcast channel such as channel
10 and the subscriber may tune to channel 10 by simply clicking on
the display of that program. That is, the linked region 373 may be
connected to the microprocessor 410 of the television receiving
apparatus 350 to control the tuner 390 to select the broadcast
channel transmitting the program currently displayed on the INFO
window 372. Preferably, as described hereinabove with the internet,
the additional information displayed in the program window 371 may
depend on the subscriber's profile data. It is appreciated that the
linked regions 373 are not limited to those depicted in FIG. 6 and
other linked regions are contemplated in the present invention.
Alternatively, if the subscriber clicks the linked region 373
labeled "Preview Programs," a pop-up window may be displayed on the
program window 371 wherein the subscriber may be requested to
complete a questionnaire form or to provide e-mail address, home
address, fax number or like to receive a complementary copy of a
video containing the program or a promotional brochure on the
program. It is appreciated that the requested data may be retrieved
from the profile database 1222 and displayed in the program window
371. The subscriber may accept (confirm) this retrieved data or
modify the data so as to provide the additional information to
another person. After the requested data is either entered or
selected by the subscriber, the television receiving apparatus 350
transmits the requested data to the associated head-end 320 via the
data link 341. Preferably, the associated head-end 320 stores or
updates the subscriber's additional profile information in the
additional profile database 286 in accordance with the completed
questionnaire form or the requested data. Alternatively, the ISP
server 110 retrieves the profile data associated with the
subscriber from the profile database 326, and stores or updates the
subscriber's additional profile information in the additional
profile database 326 in accordance with the completed questionnaire
form or the requested data, subscriber ID and the subscriber's
profile data. It is appreciated that this advantageously permits
the present invention to provide a mechanism for interactive
communication between the subscriber and the INFO provider. Also,
other means of providing the requested data is contemplated such as
a radio button for exclusive selections, check boxes for multiple
selections and like.
It is appreciated that although the subscriber cannot control the
display of the sequence of information on the INFO window 372 of
the monitor 370, the subscriber can select another program to be
displayed on the program window 371 by selecting another broadcast
channel using the remote control unit 440 or the channel selector
420.
Alternatively, the contents of the INFO window 372, each
information in the sequence of information, can be characterized as
an unsolicited request for a program (data) from one of the
broadcasting stations. In other words, the programs displayed on
the program window 371 represent solicited programs requested by
the subscriber, whereas the materials (programs) displayed on the
INFO window 372 represent unsolicited programs not requested by the
subscriber. Essentially, without informing the subscriber, the
television receiving apparatus 350 automatically tunes to a
broadcast channel to request (select) a program that is receivable
on that broadcast channel to be displayed on the INFO window
372.
Preferably, the broadcast channels (or broadcast stations) may be
divided into two groups, wherein the tuner 390 is operable to tune
to the first group of broadcast channels in response to a solicited
request and second group of broadcast channels in response to an
unsolicited request. That is, the microprocessor 410 does not
permit the tuner 390 to tune to the second group of broadcast
channels in response to a control signal from the remote control
unit 440 or the channel selector 420. Any solicited request for
programs from the second group of broadcast channels is denied and
the program window 371 may display a message such as "channel
unavailable".
When the television receiving apparatus 350 is determined to be
disconnected from the associated head-end 320, the associated
head-end 320 generates the logout information and stores the
information in the session usage database 515. As stated
hereinabove with respect to the internet, the logout information
may comprise the logout time and the logout date, but is not
limited to such information. Alternatively, each television
receiving apparatus 350, namely the microprocessor 410, may
generate the logout information if the subscriber disconnects the
television receiving apparatus 350 from the associated head-end 320
by "turning off" the television receiving apparatus 350. It is
appreciated that each television receiving apparatus 350 may
generate the logout time and the logout date using the virtual
clock rather than its internal clock to ensure accurate and uniform
logout information.
Alternatively, the associated head-end 320 transmits the logout
information to the session usage server 510. Similar to the session
usage server 210 in FIG. 1, the session usage server 510 generates
the session duration information as a function of the subscriber's
stored login date, the subscriber's stored login time, the received
logout date and the received logout time. The session usage server
510 updates the session usage record
of the subscriber in response to the received logout date, the
received logout time and the session duration information, and
stores the updated session usage record in the session usage
database 515. The updated session usage record of the subscriber
may be used along with the subscriber's profile data to select the
sequence of information for the subscriber. That is, the data
generated from the current session for the subscriber may be used
to generate the sequence of information for the next session. It is
noted that the current session implies the subscriber's current
connection to the associated head-end 320.
It is appreciated that the television receiving apparatus 350 may
be disconnected from the associated head-end 320 due to faulty
connection, hardware and software problems, power outage, etc.
Preferably, to account for such disconnections, each television
receiving apparatus 350 generates a ping signal every predetermined
interval, e.g., every 5, 10 or 15 minutes and transmits the ping
signal to the associated head-end 320. It is appreciated that the
ping signal may include information identifying the source of the
ping signal such as the subscriber ID and channel ID indicating the
subscriber's selected channel.
The associated head-end 320 forwards the ping signal to the session
usage database 515. It is contemplated that the session usage
database 515 stores information relating to the expected time of
the next ping signal for each subscriber. When the television
receiving apparatus "turns on" to connect to the associated
head-end 320, the session usage database 515 sets the expected time
of the next ping signal for that subscriber to the current time
plus a multiple number of the predetermined ping signal interval.
That is, upon the receipt of login information from the television
receiving apparatus 350, the session usage database 515 sets the
expected time of the next ping signal for that subscriber.
If a ping signal is received substantially within the expected time
from the television receiving apparatus 350 (the microprocessor
410), then the session usage database 515 updates the expected time
of the next ping signal for that subscriber. Preferably, the
associated head-end 320 may transmit the ping signal to the session
usage server 510 which forwards the ping signal to the session
usage database 515 for processing and storage. However, if a ping
signal is not received substantially within the expected time from
that television receiving apparatus 350, then the television
receiving apparatus 350 is presumed to be disconnected from the
associated head-end 320. Preferably, the session usage server 510
transmits a disconnect signal to the associated head-end 320 to
disconnect that television receiving apparatus 350 from the
associated head-end 320. The session usage server 510 also
generates and transmits the logout information for that subscriber
to the session usage database 515 for storage. It is appreciated
that the disconnect signal and logout information may be generated
by the associated head-end 320 and transmitted to the session
database 515 for storage.
As stated hereinabove with respect to the internet, it is
appreciated for transmission efficiency and security the ping
signal may be encrypted and compressed using standard encryption
and compression techniques before it is transmitted to the
associated head-end 320. In such a scenario, the session usage
server 510 decrypts and decompresses the ping signal before
updating the expected time of the next ping signal.
As stated hereinabove with respect to the internet, since the
information displayed to the subscribers may represent
advertisements, it may be important to keep track of what
advertisements were transmitted and displayed to the subscribers.
This information may be used to directly determine the number of
people who viewed a particular advertisement. It is appreciated
that this is comparable to Nielsen's or Arbitron's rating scheme
for television and radio, except the present technique provides a
more precise and detailed measurement of the viewing habits of the
subscribers. That is, the present technique advantageously permits
a more accurate demographic profile to be developed for each
subscriber, thereby enabling the advertisers to selectively target
their advertisements more effectively.
Accordingly, for each subscriber, the preferred embodiment of the
present invention determines which information in the sequence of
information was displayed to that subscriber based on the INFO
durations and the subscriber's session usage record stored in the
session usage database 515. Specifically, the subscriber's stored
session duration information or the subscriber's stored login time,
stored login date, stored logout time and stored logout date of the
subscriber's session usage record may be used to determine which
information was displayed on the television receiving apparatus
350. The result of this determination may be compiled as a list to
provide a list of displayed information. This list of displayed
information is then stored in an INFO display database 525 or like.
It is appreciated that the list of displayed information may be
stored in the local storage device 415 (FIG. 5) of the television
receiving apparatus 350 before the list is transmitted to the INFO
display database 525. Also, it is appreciated that this list of
displayed information for each subscriber may be a list of INFO IDs
and INFO durations corresponding to the information that was
displayed to that subscriber.
The list of displayed information for each subscriber may
additionally contain the subscriber ID and information relating to
the display date and display time that a particular information in
that list of displayed information was displayed to that
subscriber. It is appreciated that the display date and the display
time information may be derived from the INFO durations and the
subscriber's session usage record stored in the session usage
database 515, namely from subscriber's login time, login date,
logout time and logout date.
The list of displayed information for each subscriber may further
contain information relating to the locality of that television
receiving apparatus 350, namely the location ID. Alternatively, the
list of displayed information for each subscriber may be
transmitted to the session usage server 515 which generates an INFO
display record for each INFO ID in that list of displayed
information and stores the INFO display record in the INFO display
database 525. It is appreciated that the session usage server 510
may not necessarily use all of the information contained in the
list of displayed information to generate the INFO display record.
Also, the INFO display record of the subscriber may be used along
with the subscriber's profile data to select the sequence of
information for the subscriber. That is, the information displayed
to the subscriber in his/her current session may be used to
generate the sequence of information for the next session.
In addition, for each displayed information, the present invention
keeps track of all of the linked regions 373 selected (or clicked)
by each subscriber during the display of that information to
provide a linked region ID. This information may be used to
determine the subscriber's interest in a particular product,
company, channel or like, providing a more accurate information on
the viewing habits of the subscriber. Also, this information may be
used to develop a targeted advertising strategy, where the
advertisers can determine the subscribers who are more likely to be
interested in receiving such information. It is appreciated that
since each linked region 373 is connected to a particular data
provider (i.e., broadcasting station or INFO server), each linked
region ID may represent a selected data provider ID.
If it is determined that at least one linked region 373 has been
selected by a subscriber, the television receiving apparatus 350
associated with that subscriber generates and transmits a clicked
event report packet to the associated head-end 320. It is
appreciated that the television receiving apparatus 350 may store
the clicked event report packet in the local storage device 415
(FIG. 5) before transmitting the clicked event report packet to the
associated head-end 320. The clicked event report packet may
contain the subscriber ID of the television receiving apparatus
350, the displayed INFO ID of the displayed information, the
selected data provider ID corresponding to the clicked linked
region 373, the date and time the information was displayed on the
television receiving apparatus 350 to provide the display date and
the display time of the displayed information, and the location ID
defining the locality of the television receiving apparatus 350. It
is appreciated that the television receiving apparatus 350 may
generate the display date and display time using the virtual clock
rather than its internal clock to ensure accurate and uniform
information. Also, it is appreciated that the clicked event report
packet may be encrypted and compressed before it is transmitted to
the associated head-end 320 for transmission efficiency and
security purposes.
The associated head-end 320 forwards and stores the received
clicked event report packet in the clicked event database 535.
Alternatively, the associated head-end 320 may forward the clicked
event report packet to the clicked event server 530 which decrypts
and decompresses the received clicked event report packet, and
generates a clicked event record. The clicked event record is then
stored in the clicked event database 535. It is appreciated that
the clicked event server 530 may not necessarily use all of the
information in the clicked event report packet to generate the
clicked event record. Also, the clicked event record of the
subscriber may be used along with the subscriber's profile data to
select the sequence of information for the subscriber. That is, the
information selected by the subscriber in his/her current session
may be used to generate the sequence of information for the next
session.
Further, it may be advantageous to keep track of the broadcasting
channels selected by the subscriber to develop a more precise
profile on each subscriber. Thereby, enabling the advertisers to
better select their target audience (subscribers) for their
promotions, advertisements and like.
Accordingly, for each subscriber, the present invention determines
all the broadcasting channels selected by that subscriber and
stores the corresponding data provider IDs in the primary session
log database 545. It is appreciated that each time a new broadcast
channel is selected to display the program receivable on that
selected broadcast channel on the program window 371, the
television receiving apparatus 350 associated with that subscriber
may generate and transmit the session log packet to the associated
head-end 320. It is appreciated that the television receiving
apparatus 350 may store the session log packet in the local storage
device 415 before transmitting the session log packet to the
associated head-end 320. The session log packet may contain the
subscriber ID of the television receiving apparatus 350, the data
provider ID of the broadcast channel selected by the subscriber,
the date and time the program receivable on the selected
(requested) broadcast channel was displayed on the television
receiving apparatus 350 to provide the display date and the display
time of the requested program, and the location ID defining the
locality of the television receiving apparatus 350. Also, it is
appreciated that the television receiving apparatus 350 may
generate the display date and display time using the virtual clock
rather than its internal clock to ensure accurate and uniform
information. Further, it is appreciated that the session log packet
may be encrypted and compressed before it is transmitted to the
associated head-end 320.
The associated head-end 320 forwards and stores the received
session log packet in the primary session log database 545.
Alternatively, the associated head-end 320 may forward the session
log packet to the session log server 540 which decrypts and
decompresses the received session log packet, and generates the
primary data display record. The primary data display record is
then stored in the primary session log database 545.
Also, the session log server 540 may forward a request for profile
data associated with the subscriber ID to the head-ends 320. Each
head-end 320 searches its profile database 325 for the requested
profile data corresponding to the subscriber ID. When the requested
profile data is located by the associated head-end 320, the
associated head-end 320 forwards the requested profile data to the
session log server 540. The session log server 540 additionally
generates a secondary data display record substituting the
subscriber ID information in the primary data display record with
the profile data information associated with that subscriber ID.
The secondary data display record is then stored in the secondary
session log database 546. That is, the session log server 540 may
combine information from the various databases to generate a
customized record. For example, a record may be created to provide
viewing habits of subscribers belonging to a particular demographic
group such as married male under 35 with annual income exceeding
$100,000 living in New York City. It is appreciated that the
session log server 540 may not necessarily use all of the
information in the session log packet to generate the primary and
secondary data display records.
Further, the data display record of the subscriber may be used
along with the subscriber's profile data to select the sequence of
information for the subscriber. That is, the broadcast channels
selected by the subscriber in his/her current session may be used
to generate the sequence of information for the next session.
While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be
readily appreciated that various changes may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example,
instead of storing the information in various databases, all of the
information may be stored in a single database or a single storage
device. Also, the information such as the clicked event report, the
session log packet and like may be stored in the subscriber
terminal 130 and the television receiving apparatus 350 before they
are transmitted to the respective databases for storage via the ISP
server 110 and the associated head-end 320, respectively. This
advantageously permits the subscriber terminal 130 and the
television receiving apparatus 350 to queue the information and
transmit the information in bulk to the ISP server 110 and the
associated head-end 320, respectively, during off-peak hours when
the network is less congested.
Additionally, instead of storing the profile data and additional
profile data in the profile databases 325 and additional profile
databases 326 associated with each head-end 320, they may stored in
a single profile database 325 and a single additional profile
database 326 connected to the satellite 310.
Further, it is appreciated that each server and database may be
mirrored for redundancy to provide a more reliable and robust
system. The information stored in various databases may be
additionally backed up in a central database every predetermined
interval or during off-peak hours to provide recoverability,
efficiency and security. Alternatively, each database may backup
another database so that there is always a primary and secondary
databases for any given information.
It is intended that the appended claims be interpreted as including
the embodiment discussed above, those various alternatives which
have been described and all equivalents thereto.
* * * * *
References